Innocent
by Anna0804
Summary: Bella's life was a strict routine built to keep her from remembering the one that hurt her. And her life was full of people who were desperate for her to forget. Someone had spread a vicious lie about Bella that sent him away from her 5 years ago for what she thought was forever. What will she do when he returns to her life?
1. A New Life

**AN: Thank you for reading my first FF. Because this is the first chapter, it is short. Chapters will be longer and more detailed. I plan for this to be a long story, so please sit back and enjoy the ride with me. This story is rated M for lemons.**

**Please note: Italicized words are memories of Bella's.**

**Ch. 1 - A new life**

My alarm clock jolted me awake at 5:30 a.m., music blaring loudly from the tiny speaker. I immediately reached towards my nightstand and pushed the off button. I swung my legs over the bed as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I made my way to the bathroom attached to my bedroom and began the start of my morning routine.

Pee, brush teeth, pull back hair, put on workout clothes.

I made my way to the hall and descended the stairs two at a time. Sunlight was beginning to creep through the windows, making electric light unnecessary. The unexpectedness of sunshine in Washington would make for a beautiful run. I was excited!

Once downstairs, I pulled the smoothie mix I had assembled the night before from the refrigerator and threw it in the blender, placing the lid on top and switching it on. As the blender prepared breakfast, I put on my running shoes then grabbed a large glass from the cupboard. I downed the drink quickly, anticipation for a run in the sun getting the best of me.

As I stepped out onto the porch, I took in a long, cleansing breath through my nose and smiled. It was going to be a good day. I followed that thought down the stairs, across my front lawn, and onto the street. My feet hit the pavement as I passed the homes of my neighbors, my smile never leaving my face as clouds drifted away above me, revealing the brightness of the warm summer sun.

It was the same for me every morning; had been for five years. Taking care of myself in every way possible had become an obsession. Anything to keep the sadness out of my head, though it would be in my heart forever, buried deep within the ever present hole in which it resided.

It was nearly 8 o'clock when I pulled my old, red Chevy truck into a spot right in front of the diner.

"You're late," said the tall blonde from behind the counter as she poured a cup of coffee for me.

Rosalie, the blonde, was my best friend. She was unlike me in every way possible, except for the hole as large as mine taking up space within her heart as well. It's what had brought us together. One late night, five years ago, we'd met in a single ladies chat room online. I was drunk when I'd decided to enter. But it was fate that did the talking. It didn't take long that night for Rosalie and me to realize we needed to be friends. Our lives depended on it.

"I didn't realize I had a scheduled time," I said brightly, my smile making her roll her eyes.

"Don't start with me today. I'm in a bad mood," Rose huffed as she walked around the counter to deliver a couple plates to one of the tables nearby. What else was new?

I spun in the bar stool and followed her movements. "How is that possible? Have you not seen what's going on outside?"

Rose's eyes grew wide as she walked back to me. "What's going on?" she asked in a panicked voice.

My smile grew as I whispered, "The sun is shining."

"Bitch," she hissed, as she yet again rolled her eyes and stalked off to the kitchen. I drank my coffee in silence for only a few minutes before being joined by two more good friends, Angela and Ben Cheney. Angela smiled sweetly at me as she took the stool to my left. Ben sat on her other side. My right hand automatically reached for Angela's belly, rubbing the growing mound.

"I can't wait to be an aunt," I said with glee, and Angela giggled. Ben exhaled loudly.

"What's wrong with him?" I asked as I took back my hand.

"He's nervous about work today," she said, giving him a sympathetic look.

Oh, yes; there was a new doctor in town and he'd be Ben's new boss. Ben was to be the new doc's nurse at the clinic where Ben had worked for two years. No one had met this doctor yet. No one except Dr. Snow, who, up until that day, had been the lead doctor and owner of the clinic. He was retiring and passing on the responsibility to someone else though. I could see why Ben was nervous.

"You'll be fine, sweetie," I offered kindly. He shrugged his shoulders but didn't speak.

"I smell bacon," said a familiar voice from behind me. I turned and smiled at my father as he walked towards me, my mother following closely behind him. They both hugged me before taking the two stools to my right.

"I saved some just for you, Charlie," Rose said as she reemerged from the kitchen with two plates of eggs and bacon, one for each of my parents. There was no need in them placing an order. None of us in that small circle of people did. Rose knew us like the back of her hands.

Conversation flowed easily among the six of us, and I was thankful for these people in my life. They were all in on the secret though - the secret of my heart ache. They knew his name and how he'd hurt me; what had been done. And they knew of Rose's secret too. No one else in the small town of Forks, Washington did, though they must have assumed. Especially the men, as they'd get the same answer from me and Rose whenever they would ask one of us out to dinner, or a movie, or to bed: "I don't date." It was always the same; had been for five years for the both of us.

About the time of my awful break-up, Rosalie was planning an escape from her abusive fiancé. She'd been covered in bruises and had two broken ribs the first time we met. Though my pain had never been inflicted physically, we'd both been in a great deal of it.

I left the diner after everyone else, promising my mother I'd join her on a shopping trip soon and reminding my friends of our card game night at my house the next night, Friday.

I returned to my home where I changed out of my white sundress I'd put on after my run that morning, and put my workout clothes back on. I walked through the back door onto my back lawn and began work on my yard; first I mowed the grass and then focused on my vegetable and flower gardens. My lawn was my oasis. Every inch of it I tended in the utmost of ways. It was my pride and joy. I often spent my mornings after my run and breakfast at the diner, sitting on my front porch on my large porch swing, reading a book, taking breaks to enjoy the beautiful flowers and trees growing in front of me. And the evenings were often spent on my back deck, enjoying a salad of vegetables I'd grown in my garden, as light illuminated from the tiki torches surrounding the deck.

I enjoyed being outdoors, enjoying the fruits of my labor with my eyes, hands, and stomach. It meant a lot to me to be able to grow the foods I placed on my table each meal. And it was a way of finance for me, as I sold a lot of produce to Rosalie's diner. She always bought locally and tried to buy from me as often as possible.

My father often helped me with the monstrosity that was my garden, as it had gotten entirely too big over the last five years for only one person to man. He enjoyed it, too, and it was a way for us to bond. He was always looking out for me these days, making sure I was taken care of. He didn't want me getting hurt again.

No one in my life did. And that is why they stayed so close. And as independent as I was, I was thankful.

As 2 o'clock rolled around, I stopped for a break. Just as I was about to sit on one of the large rocking chairs on the deck, my house phone rang out through the screened door, causing me to jump.

It was the principal of the school where I taught informing me of a staff meeting on Monday. I had three weeks left of summer vacation before it ended and I had to return to my 12th grade English classroom, my home away from home.

I decided to call it a day and headed upstairs where I melted into a tub full of warm water and coconut-scented bubbles, reminding me of a happier, crazier time in my life. I closed my eyes and allowed the memory to wash over me.

_"I love that smell," I said as his hands worked over my back, rubbing in the coconut-scented sunblock._

_"I love you," he whispered in my ear before kissing my neck. _

_I smiled as my eyes drifted closed. "And I love you," I returned._

_The sounds of the ocean waves were a symphony to my ears as his hands moved over me, working me into a fever._

I sat up in the tub and reached for my book off the sink counter before allowing the memory to continue. I was beginning to lose specifics of the memory. It had been almost six years ago. Time was taking away from me what part of him I had left. And I was going to let it.

Just as the water began to grow frigid, the phone rang yet again. I jumped from the tub and ran naked through the bathroom into my room where the phone was placed on my nightstand. I left wet footprints on the carpet behind me as I grabbed the phone, sending my alarm clock to the floor.

"Dammit," I yelled, holding the phone up to my ear with one hand and reaching for the clock with the other.

"Hello?" I asked, panting from my sprint to the phone.

"Hey, it's me," Rose said quietly from the other line. Her voice was laced with something . . . fear, perhaps.

"What's wrong?" I asked, forgetting about the clock and sitting my wet behind on the bed.

"Can you come to the diner? Ben has something he needs to tell you."

"Oh," I said, not understanding her tone. "Should I be worried?"

"Just get down here," she demanded before hanging up.

Confusion set in as I pulled a blue cotton dress over my head and then put on my underwear. I went back to the bathroom and released my tub water before running a brush through my hair. My heart beat fast as worry took place of confusion. What if Charlie had been wounded at work? Or something had happened to my mother? Ben was a nurse after all; he'd know.

I slipped on a pair of flip flops and drove as fast as my truck would allow across the three miles between my house and the diner.

As I pulled up to the diner I could see through the large windows Ben, Angela, and Rose all sitting at a table near the back. It was 5:30 and tables were starting to fill in quickly with dinner guests. Something must have been terribly wrong for Rose to have been sitting during a rush. I scanned the area around me for my parents' cars, not finding either of them. They usually ate at the diner on Thursdays.

I entered and as I approached their table, I saw a look of disbelief and anger fly across Rose's face. She moved over quickly so I could join her. I stared at Ben and Angela across from me and was about to speak when Ben beat me to it.

"It's him, Bella," he said, not meeting my eyes now.

"Him who?" I asked, confused.

"The new doctor. My new boss. It's him. It's Edward."

I felt the color drain from my face as I rested against the booth seat. _Why had he come here after all this time?_

**AN: Thanks again for reading. Please review for faster updates.**


	2. In Hiding

**AN: A HUGE thank you to those that reviewed. And thank you to everyone who is now following this story.**

**There is no schedule to the way I update. So you know, I am on maternity leave right now so updates could come quite often until I go back to work. I have to have something to do while Nick Jr. occupies the television.**

**When I approached my laptop this morning, I realized the letter "z" key was missing from the keyboard. I thought to myself, "no problem, it's not like I use that letter often." I was wrong. It was very annoying working around that.**

**Just a reminder, ****_italicized_**** words are memories of Bella's.**

**Also, I have no beta so please excuse the errors.**

**Here's chapter 2. Enjoy!**

**Ch. 2 – In Hiding**

"He knew who I was," Ben stated quietly. This brought me out of my shock long enough to stare wide-eyed at him.

"How?" Rose asked, shock lacing her tone.

"He said you use to mention me. Well, us," he said, motioning between himself and Angela while looking at me. I shook my head. I used to talk about Ben and Ange quite a lot.

"He didn't ask how you were." Ben focused on his untouched glass of Coke sitting in front of him. Edward's lack of concern for me was to be expected.

"Bastard," Rose spoke harshly as she grabbed my hand, locking our fingers together instantly. I gave her a quick squeeze to show her I was paying attention.

"Why on earth would he come here? He knows I'm connected with Forks. It makes no sense." I was finally able to articulate some of my thoughts to my friends.

"I don't know. He seemed hesitant to give any specifics to anyone once he realized who I was. I'm sorry, Bell."

"No, Ben. You have no reason at all to be sorry. I'm the one who is sorry you've been put in the middle. I don't want this to stress you out at work. You've already got enough to think about." I felt terribly. The last thing Angela and Ben needed was something else worrying them.

"You're like my sister, Bell. I'm gonna worry whether it's because your prick of an ex is in town or because you have a paper cut. It's just how it is. Don't worry about my job. I'm good at what I do so he'll get over it eventually. Plus, guys don't tend to dwell on stuff like this with each other."

I knew he was right. It's how it was for all of us. We worried so much for one another in hopes that it would lighten the burden on the one we worried for. It usually didn't, but that's how it goes when you love someone. And I loved my friends.

The four of us sat quietly, each of us waging our own internal battle over the matter at hand.

"How do you want to handle this?" Angela asked, sounding motherly. Instinct caught on early for her.

I shook my head back and forth, not sure how to respond. Once again, silence raked across the table.

How was I going to handle this? I didn't want to see him. I didn't want anything to do with him. But Forks was a small town and it was evident that Edward wasn't going anywhere or he would not have taken over ownership of the only clinic in town. Practicing medicine in his own clinic one day had been his lifelong dream. Now that he had it, I couldn't see him letting it go. Of course, I no longer knew anything of his hopes and dreams. He could be a completely different person than he was five years ago.

Lord knows I was.

"I don't want to see him. Not yet anyway. I need time to adjust to this," I stated, turning to Rose for support. I knew they'd all support me, but she understood the importance of what I was saying. She got it more than anyone.

"Of course," she said, nodding her head.

I pulled my hand from hers and smiled as I stood from the table. "I'm going home," I said as I grabbed my keys off the table.

"We'll try to figure out where he goes around town so you'll know where to stay away from," Angela said, causing Rose to exhale loudly in frustration.

"That's bullshit. This is her town. What the hell is he doing here?" Rose was fuming mad at the mere thought of me not being able to go to my favorite places.

"It's ok, Rose. This is what I want for now. We'll figure something out eventually," I said. I waved at them all then turned to walk away.

I didn't remember driving the three miles back home until I was pulling into my driveway. I leaned over in the truck to retrieve the garage door opener from the glove box, and pushed the button, driving into seclusion immediately. Parking in the garage wasn't something I did often. Not with the truck, anyway. I parked beside my blue Ford Escape, my teacher car as my dad liked to call it, and turned off the ignition.

I sat behind the wheel for what seemed like hours before I finally decided to go inside. The garage echoed as I slammed the truck door. I walked up the four stairs to the door leading to the laundry room that connected to the kitchen. I walked through the kitchen, through the living room and up the stairs to my bedroom. Once inside, I walked straight to my bathroom and started rummaging through the medicine cabinet.

Crystals from the evening sunlight danced across the bathroom tiles, causing a rainbow-like pattern on the walls. My beautiful sunshine-filled day had been tainted by a ghost from my past. I popped three Benadryl into my mouth and bent towards the sink faucet for water to wash them down. I didn't want to think about my past right now or the fact that I'd be running into that ghost possibly any day.

I slumped down onto my bed, making sure to retrieve my alarm clock from the floor first, and then settled back against my pillows. I reached towards the clock, making sure it had survived the crash from earlier and that the alarm was still set. Just because my evening routine had been ruined didn't mean my morning needed to be. I had to get back on schedule the next day.

I snuggled under my covers just as the medicine began to take effect. I could feel my eyes drooping as visions of white fluffy pillows and bold green eyes flew through my thoughts.

_"You're beautiful," he whispered as he peppered kisses down my jaw and across my neck._

_"Mmmm," was my only response, as he reached my collar bone with his lips. He chuckled against my skin, causing goose bumps to cover my entire body. I lay under his weight, on top of the comfortable white linens and pillows that adorned his large canopy bed. A bed fit for a king and his queen. And that was how he always made me feel._

_"You're too good to me," I breathed, clutching onto his back to keep him close._

_"Never," he said, raising his head until our faces were focused on one another, his emerald green eyes staring into mine. His mouth curved into a beautiful, lop sided grin making me blush._

_He lowered his head back to my neck and continued where he left off, trailing kisses all down my skin until reaching the most sensitive parts of my heated body, causing me to hum in pleasure._

Alison Krauss's words from "When You Say Nothing At All," blared loudly across my bedroom, waking me from a dream-filled coma. I lay still, allowing the song to continue, unshed tears spilling down my cheeks. Her words were a monument to the flashback I'd dreamt. Edward and I loved one another in ways that were hard to explain to someone who'd never loved as deeply as we had. Most people we associated with always said it wouldn't last. We'd either fall into some sort of dull pattern or we'd break up. I always hate when people are right about those things.

When the song faded into another sad country lullaby, I turned off the radio and marched to the bathroom. One look at myself in the mirror almost brought on another onslaught of tears. I was angry at myself for allowing him to hurt me all over again after so long. I was close to being healed before yesterday; I'd even toyed with the idea of dating again. No one was in on that secret except me. Not even Rose knew.

Moving on is hard to do when the love of your life is ripped from your grasp unexpectedly. It had taken months for me to even socialize with anyone outside of my parents. It had taken Rose to get me out of my depression. She pointed out to me that life had to go on for us both. And I started taking care of myself. I moved away from my apartment in Seattle where Edward and I had lived together, back to Forks. I started picking my life off the ground one piece at a time.

Rosalie was already living in Forks when she and I met online. It was just another sign we were meant to be in each other's lives and that I needed to go home. I bought a rundown house with the money I'd saved when sharing an apartment with a doctor in Seattle. He'd never let me help with the bills, although I tried. And I'd put all my blood, sweat, and tears into turning my rundown house into a home, my oasis, and making over my entire life.

I glared at my reflection in the mirror for another second before wiping the tears off my cheeks and splashing cold water over my face.

The sun wasn't shining as brightly that day as it had the day before, but rays still peeked through the mostly cloudy sky. My feet pounded the pavement as I reached the halfway point of my morning run. I turned around heading back home. My five mile run every morning had been a way, at first, to connect with Edward in every way possible after I'd lost him. When we first met he ran 2 miles every day. I used to make fun of him for being so diligent about it. He'd just smirk at me and slap my ass before putting on his running shoes and leaving the apartment. I'd cook a large breakfast for him while he was gone. His two miles became four when I moved in and he started gaining weight from all the extra calories I was feeding him.

He'd probably laugh now if he saw the way I cooked.

No, he probably wouldn't. I doubt there was much I could do to make him laugh anymore.

I shook the thought from my head as I forced myself to focus on something other than him. My running was no longer for him, but for me. I wasn't so pathetic to dedicate every second of my life to him. It was all for me now.

I ran with a new vigor as I thought about work and about Jasper Whitlock, my new friend at school. Jasper was the new U.S. History teacher who had started the previous year. This would be his second year and I was eager to see him soon. His classroom was across the hall from mine, and we often tag-teamed to make sure our students arrived to class on time and behaved themselves in the process.

Jasper and I were among the few teachers at Forks High whom the students got along well with. At the ripe age of 27, we were both still considered young with most students, and they liked that about us. I supposed we were still relatable in some ways.

Jasper was a soft-spoken, easy-spirited guy who was easy for me to get along with. He could tell when I was in a sorry mood just by looking at me. He'd cock his head to the side and study my face briefly before giving me a sincere smile and nodding at me as if to say, "It will all be ok, you'll see."

Jasper had an older brother named Peter whom I had spoken to a few times. Peter was a private detective working out of Port Angeles, but living in Forks. Peter and Jasper liked to put their heads together and work out clues to some of Peter's cases. Jasper was a very smart man who thought things through before acting. "Peter had a more spontaneous nature, causing him to need Jasper's help at times."It was how I had come to meet Peter in the first place. When he would require Jasper's expertise on certain cases during lunch at school, Peter would be waiting outside Jasper's door at the end of the period before lunch. He'd always smile warmly at me and I'd smile back, surprising myself.

Jasper and Peter would sit at one end of the faculty lunch table speaking in hushed voices while Angela and I sat at the opposite end, usually making up wild stories as to what the boys were speaking of. I'd find myself looking at them, mostly Peter, quite often. Angela would catch me and my cheeks would turn red. She never said anything about it though. She'd just smile at me. And she'd be in a great mood the rest of the day, no doubt thinking of how I was attracted to Peter.

I thought of Peter and his wavy blonde hair as I reached my front porch. I leaned onto the banister as I retrieved the bottle of water I'd left for my return home. I downed half the contents before heading inside. I showered quickly and dressed in my peach-colored sundress. It was my favorite.

I ran the blow dryer over my hair and applied some coral-colored blush and lip gloss before leaving for the diner. I drove with the windows of my truck down, but had to roll them back up once I arrived at my destination. The clouds were thickening by the minute, no doubt promising a morning downpour. And Washington clouds were always good at keeping their promises.

It didn't escape my notice that everyone had arrived before me that morning, although I was right on time. My mother wouldn't make eye contact with me as I took my seat at the bar, and my dad was watching the door as if Hitler were about to walk through. I rolled my eyes.

"You can all stop worrying. I'm fine," I stated, accepting the cup of coffee Rose offered. She nodded her head once in agreement. She understood.

My dad grunted loudly, but other than that no one said anything to disagree with me.

"I meet my replacement today," Angela said from my left, causing me to raise my eyebrows at her.

"There's no such thing, darling," I said with a smile.

"You know what I mean. My replacement while I'm on maternity leave. I will be gone for almost two months of the school year. It's going to be hard coming back next year," she said wistfully, probably thinking of how she wished she could stay home for good with the baby.

"9th grade English won't be the same without you," I pouted, not looking forward to her absence. She deserved this baby and her time with it. I was essentially happy for her if not a little selfish though. I depended on her presence at work more than I should.

"You have Jasper to keep you company," she said, with a pat on my hand. I nodded and smiled. Yes, Jasper was good company indeed. "And you can have lunch with him and Peter now," she said with a wink. My smile faded, worried the others around us would catch on. Luckily for me, no one did.

"You look well rested dear," my mom said, causing my attentions to turn towards her.

"I slept well actually," I said. No need for them to know about the meds that helped with that. "And I had a really good run this morning. I got a lot of thinking done while I was out."

"Oh, yeah? Like what?" my dad chirped, no doubt wanting to hear from me just how fine I actually was.

"I'd like to not dwell on the recent turn of events if you don't mind. I don't want to speak of it, and I don't want to hear anything from anyone if I decide to stay home more than I do. Just for a little while. I'm not ready to see him yet."

"It's been five years, baby girl. How much longer do you need?" My dad was on high alert this morning.

"I never thought I'd see him again, dad. Just give me some time, please?"

"Alright." He didn't say anything else.

"I got a package from your aunt this morning. She sent you some goodies from fashion week," my mom said, her eyes lighting up at the mere mention of high end fashion.

My mother was born and raised in Paris, France where most of her family still lived. My aunt Lidia, mom's younger sister, worked for _Vogue Paris_ and was always sending me things she'd acquire from work. Most of it I passed along to Rosalie, who knew more about the designers and cared more, too. Lidia had always been appalled at the jeans and t-shirts I wore as a teenager. Thanks to her, by the time I graduated college, my closet was worth more than three Mercedes Benzes.

And it was because of her that I was wearing a tight-fitted, designer, grey pencil skirt and white-collared shirt the first time I met Edward. The look on his face the first time he saw me had me begging Lidia for more sexy ensembles. She'd been more than happy to help. It was a drastic contrast to the sundresses and cardigans that I enjoyed wearing.

And, although reluctant at first, she'd stopped sending them when she learned of the break-up; instead sending gifts that would fit in well in Lauren Conrad's closet. It was definitely more my style. And that style was more accepted at school than the naughty librarian look I had often donned in order to get the bronze-haired man's attention. The bronze-haired man who ended up making me wish I'd never laid eyes on designer clothes and high-heeled shoes. It wasn't me.

Edward and I met in a law office where I'd started working as a secretary right after graduate school. Finding a job as a teacher seemed almost impossible at the time, so I'd had to take what I could get. Edward was the part time office assistant while finishing up his residency at one of the hospitals in Seattle. I had been working there for almost a year when he was hired.

Edward ran errands for the entire staff. He did everything from making copies, to answering phones, to making lunch runs. He brought me a latte from Starbucks every morning once he realized it was my preferred morning drink. It didn't take him long to learn coffee was the quickest way into my heart.

"Bring them with you this evening. I have to go to Port Angeles today and pick up some supplies for work before Monday," I said to my mother, granting me a nod and a smile from her.

"Oh, you're gonna love what she sent. Right up your alley." Mom's happy mood was infectious. My dad smiled at her, and I enjoyed the sweet moment that passed between them. It was because of them that I sought out a relationship instead of one night stands. Their love for one another was something I wanted for myself one day.

There was no more mention of Edward being in town, and breakfast went as smoothly as ever. I was hugged by everyone, though, as I left the diner and was glad to be away from their sympathetic stares.

When I arrived in Port Angeles, I took my time searching out the supplies I needed to make my classroom ready for a new school year. I purchased bulletin board art and 60 copies of "_Hamlet_," as well as extra pens, notebooks and paper for those who couldn't afford to buy their own or just forgot. I walked around the town for awhile, window shopping. I was staring into the window of a used book store, enjoying the display of Jane Austen novels, when I heard my name being called from somewhere down the sidewalk. I turned towards the voice and saw Peter making his way towards me. I smiled brightly as he approached.

"Peter, how are you?" I asked jubilantly as he slowed to a stop in front of me.

He smiled back warmly and replied, "I'm well, especially now. What are you doing in my town?"

"Your town, huh? Didn't realize you owned it."

"It's a secret. Don't want the whole town knowing," he whispered as I giggled.

"I had to get some stuff for school," I said, holding up an Office Max bag.

"Have you had lunch?" he asked, sounding hopeful.

I just shook my head and tried to smile as I wondered if I could do this. I knew he was asking me to join him. I knew where it would lead. Was I ready? I had to be if I was about to stare my past in the face.

"I was headed towards the café across the street. Care to join me?"

"Sure," I said and followed him to the Stoney Café and Creamery.

Conversation flowed easily as we spoke of each other's jobs and Jasper, over bowls of tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. Peter paid for my lunch, insisting it was his pleasure and duty as he'd been the one to invite me in the first place.

I felt comfortable with him, more so than I thought I would. I willed myself not to think of Edward as I stared into Peter's crystal blue eyes. He was very good looking, and other women took notice of this as they walked past our table. He never paid them any attention, though. He kept his eyes focused on me and smiled often as I spoke.

When his lunch hour was nearly up, we finished our brownies he'd purchased as dessert and made our way to the door. "Where are you parked?" he asked as we walked out into the cooler air that followed the morning rain.

"Just there," I said, pointing to my truck a few spaces away.

"Oh, yes; I remember the truck now."

"How could you forget such a beautiful vehicle such as this?" I asked as we approached the driver's side of my truck.

"Bella, I would really like to take you to dinner sometime. Would that be alright?" Peter asked in a soft voice, much like the one Jasper often used.

I looked into his eyes as I pondered this. "Yes," I said, as thoughts of Edward began to occupy my mind. "I would like that, too."

A smile spread across his handsome face, and he asked, "When?"

"Tomorrow night, perhaps?" I offered.

"Perfect. I will pick you up at 6:00. Will that do?"

"Sounds just fine," I said as my heart rate began to accelerate. "I better get this stuff home," I said in a rush as I jumped into the truck.

"Yes, of course. I will see you tomorrow then," he said as I shut the door then waved. I tried to smile as I pulled away. Fresh tears spilled from my eyes as I realized what I'd just done. I needed to speak to Rosalie immediately. The lunch rush should be over by the time I returned to Forks, allowing me time to speak with her.

I cried most of the way home. I was just regaining my senses when I pulled into town. As I approached the diner I saw him. He was walking towards a dark-colored car with a to-go box in his hands, the door of the diner closing behind him.

He looked amazing, more so than I remembered. He was dressed in khakis and a white button-up shirt, the sleeves rolled up halfway to his elbows. He was clean-shaven, and his hair was sticking up in all directions. He had a scowl on his face though as he approached his car. He never noticed my truck as I continued to drive by, passing the diner entirely. Thankfully, he didn't know the truck; he'd only heard about it from me. I'd left it with my parents when I went to college. I didn't start driving it again until after I moved back to Forks.

Seeing him nearly paralyzed me. I was glad to be alone and unnoticed by him. I needed a moment to adjust to the pain running the length of my body. It was more unbearable than I believed it would be. It was heartbreaking and unsettling. It was physical as well as emotional. And it had to stop. I had things to do.

Edward must have received the wrath of what I know to be Rosalie. I could only imagine what she could have said to him. I pulled into the nearest driveway and turned around, heading back towards the diner. I figured he would be well on his way back to the clinic, and I had to know what Rose said to him.

I parked my truck in the parking spot Edward had just occupied.

"I saw you drive by," Rose said, as I approached the bar.

"What did you say to him, Rose? Tell me everything."

**AN: And there you go. Please review to persuade me to update again ASAP.**


	3. They're a mystery, men

**AN: Not much to say, so let's just get straight to it.**

**Ch. 3 – They're a mystery, men**

"I didn't say much at all to him," Rose said vaguely as she wiped down the counter.

"Really?" I questioned, not believing for a second she'd pass up an opportunity to yell at Edward.

She just shrugged a shoulder and said, "I'm serious. I didn't have to. Angela did it for me."

My jaw nearly hit the floor as I stared at her. I looked around the room quickly, searching for my pregnant friend.

"Alright, this is what happened. I knew who he was the moment he walked in. I was standing in the back taking someone's order when he sat down at the bar so I didn't have a chance to run him off like I wanted to. He'd already placed his order and was looking at his phone when I got back to the counter. Just as Claire was serving him his plate, Ange and Ben walked in, Ange took one look at him and turned to Ben and said, 'You know what, I suddenly have no appetite.' Then she turned around and left."

"Oh, wow; I can't believe she did that." I was in awe of my shy, beloved friend that is Angela. She never does things like that. She leaves it to Ben.

"Strangest thing, though," Rose said, a pondering look crossing her face. "Edward looked really guilty. He just sat without moving for a couple minutes before asking me for a to-go box. Then he threw a $20 bill down and walked out. By the way, what kind of prick pays for a salad with $20? Do I look poor to you? And what kind of man orders a damn salad? Bastard." Rose wasn't holding back now.

I started to speak, when she cut me off. "Wonder what he felt guilty about?"

"Running off a pregnant woman?" I mused.

"Maybe," she answered, not trusting her own answer. "So, are you ok?"

"Yea, I'm ok," I replied, knowing that I really wasn't. I hadn't seen him in five years, then all of a sudden he's walking across the street in front of me and right back into my life, whether he wanted to or not. It would take some getting used to.

"You're a terrible liar," Rose said, calling me out.

"I know." I looked down at my hands, not trusting myself to look in her eyes for fear of crying again.

"Hey," she said, and I felt her hand touch my shoulder, "don't let that son of a bitch bring you down. You're so much better than that Bella." Only Rose could pull off using curse words in a sympathetic manner. I chuckled at the thought. The sound brought a smile to both our faces.

"Speaking of, I have a date tomorrow night," I shared, hoping to lighten the conversation.

"Get out of town. Seriously? With whom?" Rosalie's eyes grew the size of saucers as she yelled her reply to me.

"Peter."

"I knew it. I knew you had a thing for him." She pointed her finger at me, blaming.

"I ran into him in Port Angeles this morning, and he bought me lunch and then asked me out. I'm not sure now is the best time for this to happen, but I'm just going to go with it. See what happens."

"Good for you. Jeez, I'm really proud of you girl. We may be alright after all."

"One step at a time, right?" I asked, knowing we'd both be ok eventually.

"Damn straight," she answered, before having to abandon me to wait on a paying customer.

My thoughts wandered to a five years older Edward and I couldn't help but think how much more handsome he'd grown to be. I didn't realize such a thing was even possible. I'd always thought he'd do well as a runway model: his looks were so becoming that he was constantly turning heads of all females within his presence. I never understood how I'd captured him. And to think, he was even better looking now. I shook my head at the thought.

"Please tell me you're thinking of Peter and not Edward? I'd hate to think you were smiling for that douche," Rose said, bringing me back to reality. I hadn't realized I was smiling. I dropped my cheeks immediately, causing her to scowl at me.

"Change of subject. What time will you be at my place this evening?" I asked, already looking forward to unwinding with my family and friends over a friendly card game that night.

"6ish. And I'm spending the night by the way. I plan on getting too drunk to be able to drive home."

I just shook my head. I'd long since put a stop to my own drinking habits. Once, when I'd moved back to Forks and was living with my parents for a brief period, my dad came home to a very drunk and depressed daughter. He yelled at me and said that although I had every right to be sad, there was no need in self destruction and he wouldn't allow me to hurt myself. He threatened to take me down to the station and throw me into the drunk tank if I ever did it again. I did as I was told. Now and then I may enjoy a glass of champagne with a nice bubble bath or a margarita on girls' night out, but that's it. I'm always the designated driver.

Edward and I used to go out with friends every Friday after work to a bar called "Snappy's." He and I would share a pitcher of berry sangria and we'd take a taxi back home, where we'd make drunken love all over the apartment. Edward had a love for fine wine. too. We'd often spend weekends going to wine tastings. He was determined to learn all about what was good and what was not. Learning wine was a difficult hobby to have. He'd often get frustrated that he couldn't figure out what he was drinking. I'd laugh and kiss his nose.

"I guess I need to go home and start marinating the ribs. My dad wants to grill tonight."

"I love Charlie's ribs," Rose said, smiling pathetically.

"I love you," I said with a laugh, standing from my stool.

"Good. Somebody ought too."

I rolled my eyes. She laughed.

At home, I got busy preparing the food for that night's get-together. I put the ribs into the refrigerator to marinate, then went upstairs to change. I pulled on a pair of blue jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. I laced up my boots and tied them tightly before heading downstairs and outside to the garden. The air, although cooler after the morning rain, was still warm, but I had to dress properly for garden work. I was terrified of tick bites.

I was in the middle of a row of corn when I heard a car door shut. Before long I heard my father calling my name.

"In the corn," I yelled back and soon heard footsteps making their way towards me. Charlie was dressed much like me, and before long he too was picking away at the vegetables. We filled eight, 5-gallon buckets with assorted vegetables before calling it quits. I gathered some corn, tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, and peppers for dinner, but left everything else in the buckets. My dad began carrying each bucket over to my truck where he placed them in the back.

Every Saturday morning during the summer months, my parents and I piled into my truck, with me stuck in the middle, and we'd drive down to the local farmers market to sell our load of produce. We'd sit on the tailgate and eat beef jerky and homemade candies purchased from other vendors. We always sold out of whatever we brought with us.

As I was walking back to my house, Charlie made his way back to the garden with a new load of buckets in his arms. We never had any less than 15 buckets each week. And that was after Rosalie bought her fair share.

I walked up the back porch steps and into the kitchen, where my mother stood at the counter mixing something in a large bowl.

It made me smile to see my parents so comfortable in my home. It was always a dream of mine to live in such a welcome place that all of my friends and family would come and go as they pleased without even having to ask. It was one of those dreams that had become a reality without my even noticing it.

"Whatchya makin'?" I asked as I emptied the tail of my shirt onto the counter, depositing the vegetables for later.

"Brownies. Your father begged for them," she said, an elbow stuck in the air as she whisked away at the ingredients.

I loved my mother's brownies. Actually, anything she baked was delicious. She couldn't cook to save her life, but the woman could certainly bake. It was something of a required task I imagined, as my father had a severe sweet tooth and an extensive love for chocolate. It was something Edward had in common with my father. The one birthday I celebrated of Edward's, he'd begged me to shower him with chocolate surprises all day. I was only too willing to oblige. My father was the same way on his birthday. I never let on that it was now a bittersweet memory for me to do so.

I left my mother to her task and grabbed an extra 5-gallon bucket from the garage before going back outside, this time to the front yard and over to my well-stocked peach trees. As I was tossing peaches into the bucket, my new neighbor a few houses down walked to her mailbox and waved. I waved back, feeling guilty for not having introduced myself yet. I would have to before my guilt became too strong. She turned and walked back towards her house, not giving me a second thought.

I left the full bucket of peaches in the yard, unable to move it once it was full to the brim, and went back inside.

"Got a full bucket this time," I said to my dad, who was now sitting on my couch, already dressed in fresh clothes and holding a beer. He was focusing on some sporting event on the television.

"Yep," was all he said, not paying me much attention.

I went upstairs and showered, taking my time under the pour of warm water. I yelped in surprise when the water suddenly ran ice cold. I stomped hard on the floor, knowing full well someone downstairs must have turned on the hot water somewhere else in the house. It was one of the things about the place that reminded me how old that house actually was. There was no fixing the poor plumbing without completely re-piping the entire home, and I just didn't have it in me to do so. So I left it alone. I only noticed problems when I was showering and someone so unkindly reminded me of it.

Thankfully, I was finished washing and jumped out, wrapping a towel around me. I was downstairs minutes later, dressed in a turquoise, spaghetti-strapped dress. It was thin and comfortable, the perfect attire for a fun night at home.

I sneaked up to the back of the couch where I popped my dad in the back of the head, startling him. He jumped in surprise and rubbed at the spot I'd just hit.

"What was that for?" he asked, faking innocence.

"You know good and well what that was for," I yelled over my shoulder as I walked into the kitchen. I heard him laughing behind me. _Jerk._

My mom swatted my hand as I made to steal a warm brownie from the plate sitting on the bar. She pointed a finger at me and said, "You are just like your father." I just shrugged my shoulders.

Mother was busy chopping up the vegetables I'd brought in earlier. "I was going to do that, mom."

"It's fine, it's fine," she said with the wave of a hand. "Look inside that box," she demanded, pointing behind me. I turned to my kitchen table, where a large cardboard box was sitting.

I peeked inside to see several garments, a pair of shoes, and a handbag all staring up at me. I pulled the handbag out and held it up, arching an eyebrow at my mother, who was watching me with interest.

"Lidia doesn't know me at all," I stated. I hated carrying a large purse.

"That's for Rosalie's birthday," mother said in a tone as if I should have already known this. Lidia had never met Rose, but I spoke of her often in our letters to one another. We wrote letters back and forth all the time instead of emailing, and I'd often brought up Rosalie. I could talk to Lidia about anything and knew she'd never tell anyone; much like Rose. I knew Lidia would never share our letters with my mother, whom I sometimes sugar coated my life's stories to. My mother cried easily, and my letters would have her in constant tears if she read them.

I'd write to Lidia when I was feeling particularly upset about something and I'd always feel better. Those letters were getting fewer and farther between, though, and of that I was glad. And so was Lidia. Several months ago, she wrote to me telling me I'd be a bitter old woman if I didn't stop writing depressing letters and go get myself laid. I was a work in progress, obviously.

"It's ugly," I gushed, referring to the handbag.

"It's a Birkin," mom said as if that should mean something to me. She just shook her head at my blank stare.

I stored it back in the box and pulled out a black, sleeveless dress, perfect for a summer date night. I smiled as I held it up, thinking it'd be perfect for my date with Peter. I'd feel pretty wearing it. As I placed the dress back in the box and pulled out a pair of strappy Manolo Blahniks, I noticed my mother had stopped chopping and was staring at me.

"What?" I asked, confused by her expression.

"You seem different today. Happier than I expected you to be."

"I guess I just don't see the point in dwelling on things, ya' know?"

"Oh honey, I'm so glad," she said, her voice quivering. She was going to cry if I didn't steer the conversation in a different direction. I didn't need to, however, as Angela and Ben chose that time to walk through the laundry room and into the kitchen. Ben always parked in the garage in case it rained. We didn't want Angela getting wet and catching a cold. I'd given Ben my extra garage door opener.

Ben snuck up behind my mother, putting his arms around her waist and causing her to jump. She swatted at his hands with a dish towel as she turned around, going straight to Angela for a hug before rubbing her belly. It was probably the closest she'd ever get to having a grandchild.

The thought brought back memories that were still very painful for me to think of.

_"Please don't, Edward. They smell awful," I said, cringing as he waved a jar of sliced pickles under my nose._

_"What's wrong with you? You love pickles," he stated as he plunged his hand into the jar, pulling one out and popping it into his mouth._

_A wave of nausea swept over me then, and I barely made it to the restroom before dumping the contents of my stomach into the toilet._

_"You have that stomach virus I've been seeing at the hospital. Maybe you should go rest for a bit, love," Edward said, coming up behind me and pulling my hair out of my face._

_"You must have brought it home with you. Thanks a lot," I chided as I pulled myself up from the floor._

I turned back to the box, scooped it off the table, and left the room. I walked upstairs and into my room, where I deposited the box into the back of my walk-in closet. I covered it with a blanket in case Rosalie decided to rummage through my closet, as she often did. Her birthday wasn't for another month.

I left the closet and sat down on the edge of my bed, a moment of sadness taking over me. Some memories of the past were just too hard to deal with. Even five years later.

I wasn't able to dwell on them long however, as my phone chose that time to ring. I grabbed the handset from my night stand and answered, "Hello?"

"Uh, hey, Bella. It's Peter."

"Peter, hi." I tried sounding upbeat. I hope it worked.

"I'm going to have to cancel our date tomorrow night. I'm really sorry. Something's come up with work."

This caught me off guard. "Oh," I replied, a bit put off that he was canceling. "It's fine. We can reschedule if you'd like."

"Listen, Bella, I don't think that's a good idea. Maybe we should just leave things the way they are."

My mind drew a complete blank at his words. _Huh?_

"I don't understand . . . ?" I said, drawing out the last word as if unsure of what I was saying.

"I know. I'm sorry. Something's come up, and I just can't. I, uh, I gotta go. See you around, Bella," he said and hung up. He honestly did sound remorseful, and I couldn't help but wonder what had actually happened. I knew he was attracted to me, and Jasper had told me on more than one occasion that Peter had a crush on me.

I was dumbfounded. _What just happened?_

I walked downstairs in somewhat of a daze and was glad I'd only told Rose of my date. As I walked into the living room, everyone was sitting down, the men watching the TV and the women chatting with each other. Rosalie was there, and I caught her eye before anyone else noticed me and motioned her to follow me back upstairs.

"What's up?" she asked as she threw herself on my bed.

"Peter just canceled our date," I said, lying down beside her. We both lay on our backs, staring at the ceiling.

"Whaaa?" she whined, turning over to look at me.

"He didn't just cancel tomorrow night. He said he didn't want to go out with me at all."

"What the fuck? Are you kidding me? Why?" Rose shouted, now sitting up to stare at me.

"Language, please. You are in the presence of a lady," I joked.

"Oh, please," she said.

"Yeah, he said something came up with work and couldn't go out tomorrow night. I said we could reschedule and he said no, let's leave things the way they are. I didn't really know how to respond to that so he just said again something came up and we just shouldn't date. No idea what that means."

"What could possibly come up with his work that would mean he couldn't date you? He couldn't come up with a better lie than that?"

"He must have noticed I was kind of upset this morning and decided he didn't want to date the depressed girl."

"No way. Something is up with that guy. You better ask Jasper about it Monday."

"Oh, I'm gonna. And I'm gonna tell him to keep his jerk of a brother away from school. If they want to hang out they can do it somewhere else. The high school is my territory. I was there first."

"Good for you. This sucks, though. You finally meet a guy you wouldn't mind dating, and he turns out to be a prick, too."

"It just doesn't make sense. I really thought he liked me. I don't get it."

"Men are all assholes. We are better off without them."

We joined everyone else downstairs moments later. As we entered the living room I was met with four pairs of eyes staring sadly at me.

"What now?" I asked in an exasperated voice, plopping down on the couch beside my dad. My parents and Ben turned to stare at Angela who was sitting with her hands in her lap, her eyes focused on the pattern of her skirt. I turned to look at Rosalie, who was standing behind me. She arched an eyebrow in confusion, clearly not in on the secret.

"Spit it out Ange," I blurted. I was losing patience quickly with this day.

Words poured from Angela's mouth, none of which made any sense.

"Come again?" I said, not understanding.

She took a deep breath and stared at her hands a moment longer before looking up at me. "My replacement at school is Alice Cullen, Edward's sister."

I didn't move for a minute, staring at Angela as if her head had just exploded, before I burst into a fit of laughter. "Could this week get any worse?" I yelled, jumping from my seat and pacing the floor in front of the couch.

"Probably. That's not all," Angela said, looking worried. "She talked about her brother and how they had just rented a house together. She said something about how she's been living here for a few weeks but he just got here Wednesday night. I asked her where she lived and she mentioned Cherry Street, which is this street, and then I realized that they must be the people who just moved in down the road from you."

It was all starting to be a bit too much to handle. I sat back down on the couch as Angela continued.

"I got upset when I realized they were your neighbors and told her as such, and she said she didn't know you were one of her neighbors. And when I mentioned you working at the school too she said she thought you still lived and worked in Seattle which is why Edward wasn't too worried moving here." She stopped there, probably worried about hurting my feelings.

My dad put a hand on by back and asked, "You ok, hun?"

I turned my head slowly towards him and glared at him. _What a stupid question._

"Right. Well, I'm just gonna go start up the grill. Ben, let's leave these girls alone," Charlie said, standing from the couch and ordering Ben to follow, which he did immediately.

"Life sucks," I said, and Rose joined me on the couch.

"Please be ok, darling. You know everything happens for a reason," my mom soothed from across the room. I felt a tear sweep down my cheek before I could catch it. I wiped it away quickly and nodded my head at her. What else could I do?

"Let's go fix dinner," I said, motioning my head towards the kitchen.

Later that night I told Angela and Rose about Alice waving at me earlier, and we pondered over why she'd do that. It had been after she realized who I was, we concluded. Shouldn't she hate me with as much passion as my family hated Edward?

First Peter, and then Alice. A night full of mysteries.

The night hadn't been quite the fun-filled evening I'd had in mind. Angela and Ben ended up leaving early because Angela had a headache, and my dad passed out on the couch after one too many beers. My mom, Rose, and I stayed up in my room talking until 3 a.m. when we all three fell asleep, only to be awakened two hours later by my alarm.

Rosalie didn't get drunk like she wanted, and I no longer had a date to look forward to.

Mom and I left Rose in my bed as we got up and got ready to go to the farmers market. My mom went downstairs and made coffee while I dressed for the day. We stopped at my parents' house on the way for them to freshen up and change their clothes. My father was exceptionally chipper for someone who had passed out drunk the night before. It wasn't fair.

The two cups of coffee I'd downed had started to kick in when we arrived at the market. It was near the beach, and I could hear waves crashing on the rocks behind us. It was a nice spot. Peaceful.

By 7 a.m. we were all set up and the early birds were beginning to arrive. By 9 a.m. I was starving and abandoned my parents in search of breakfast for the three of us. There were all types of foods being sold there every Saturday morning. You never knew what you'd find while exploring the different set-ups along the path of trucks, tents, and tables.

I took my time, browsing each station, and decided on cinnamon rolls that were still warm. I purchased three and refilled the thermos with coffee. I pulled a $10 bill out of my back pocket and handed it to the lady selling to me.

"Keep the change," I offered and collected my belongings.

"Thanks," she said as I turned around to leave. I froze in my tracks as I was met by a figure, not ten feet from me, I didn't expect to see there. His large green eyes were open wide, staring back at me in equal shock that I was sure had captured my face.

"Bella," he acknowledged softly. The sound of his voice nearly made my knees buckle. I couldn't move or breathe.

My frozen state had placed me in a bad spot, however, and a large man wearing dark sunglasses ran into me, sending my cinnamon rolls to the ground. He kept walking as I jolted forward before catching myself. I bent to pick up the food just as Edward did the same.

"Let me help," he offered, reaching to grab one of the rolls.

"Don't bother," I snapped, surprising myself. He recoiled his hand but didn't stand. I closed my eyes briefly, willing myself to calm down. "They're ruined anyway," I said softly. I stood at the same time he did. We were now mere inches from one another. I took a step backwards, away from him, as I raised my face to look at him.

"How have you been?" he asked kindly, his behavior baffling me. I had expected pure hatred from him when we finally spoke to one another.

"Ok," I lied. "You?"

"I've been well," he replied.

"Good. I'm—I'm glad," I stuttered as I shifted my weight from one leg to the other.

"You look well," he mentioned. I couldn't help the laugh that escaped me. I must look so different to him. I was wearing a pink, sleeveless sundress and flip flops, my hair flowing down my back. I used to wear only the finest of clothing around him and usually kept my hair pinned up.

Of course he looked different, too. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a dark green t-shirt. I was used to him wearing suits and ties, or hospital scrubs. Even on the weekends, he used to wear khakis and button up shirts, much like he was wearing when I had seen him the day before.

"So do you," I said. It was all completely absurd. He smiled crookedly at me, and I looked away quickly, back towards the area where the truck was parked.

"I should get back," I said.

"Are you here alone?" he asked, his tone never changing to the unkind voice I expected.

"Umm, no, I'm here with my parents. We sell here every Saturday during summer."

"Oh, ok. I'll see you later then?" he questioned.

"I'm sure you will. Forks is a small town. It's unavoidable, I suppose."

"Unavoidable," he whispered, looking at his shoes, toying with the word as if he'd not thought of it beforehand.

I waved pathetically at him before turning and walking away. I looked over my shoulder once to find him in the same spot, unmoved and watching me. He waved with one hand and smiled, sadness clear in his eyes as he caught me looking. I tried to smile back, but I was sure it didn't meet my eyes either.

My dad frowned at the lack of food in my hands as I approached the truck. I handed him the thermos as I pulled myself up onto the tailgate of the truck.

"No luck then?" he asked, clearly perturbed.

"I saw Edward," I huffed.

They both stared at me, wide-eyed, terrified to speak. I explained our exchange, voicing the confusion his behavior elicited.

"Strange," my dad said, not offering any help.

"Men are mysteries, aren't they dear?" my mother replied to me, not helping out either.

Perhaps he'd let things go. It had been five years since we saw each other last. Perhaps he'd just moved on. I doubted in the least he'd decided to believe the words I'd said to him the last time we spoke. I'd tried to reason with him, to get him to see there was no logic in the lies he'd been fed about me. But he wouldn't hear of it.

And he had hated me with a passion I never knew could exist. A hatred that I thought he'd carry with him for a lifetime. Had I been wrong in thinking that?


	4. Friends?

**AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! You're awesome!**

**Welcome, to those who just started following this story.**

**Ch. 4 – Friends?**

My parents' indifference towards my meeting with Edward was odd; I'd assumed they'd be very upset and worried for me. No one was behaving as they should have been. My dad was too busy worrying over his empty stomach to give it proper thought, and my mother was too nose-deep in a gossip magazine to pay me much attention. So there I sat, kicking my legs back and forth, feigning nonchalance just in case Edward was nearby and could see me.

I didn't want him to see my true reaction to what his presence was doing to me: on the inside I was dying. It had taken every ounce of self control I'd had not to wrap my arms around him, pull him towards me, and hold on for dear life.

I saw my dad several spaces down from my truck talking to his good friend Harry Clearwater. Harry's daughter, Leah, had gone to high school with me and accused me once in the 10th grade of kissing her boyfriend. She punched me in the nose when I argued my innocence. It had caused severe damage to our fathers' relationship. Sometime during my college years they'd made up.

This year, Harry's son Seth would be in my class. I hoped their relationship wouldn't take another hit if Seth made bad grades. I couldn't help but fear spending time near another Clearwater. Hopefully Seth wasn't as conniving as his sister.

I watched the two men converse and couldn't help but laugh out loud when Harry offered my dad a biscuit and my father snatched it away instantaneously.

"Penny for your thoughts?" a familiar voice rang to my left. I yanked my head in his direction swiftly, nearly hurting my neck in the process.

Edward was leaning against the truck, his arms crossed in front of him, studying me. I looked around for my mother and was surprised at her absence. Where had she gone? _Traitor._

"That's my dad," I said, pointing at Charlie and Harry. "The one with the baseball cap," I clarified.

"I assumed as much," Edward said, but he was smiling when he did so.

I didn't know what to say or do, so I sat silently waiting for him to act. Maybe he'd just go away.

"That's Alice," he said, pointing at a booth selling homemade jewelry, indicating a woman talking to none other than my traitor mom. And they were laughing.

"And that's my mom she's talking to."

"Yeah, I met her right before I came over here to see you."

"And you lived to speak of it." Seriously, what was my mother playing at?

Edward sighed and looked away from the women, peering passed them into the distance.

"Why are you here, Edward?" I asked before I lost the nerve or the chance. I had to know.

He exhaled loudly through his nose and ran his hands through his hair. "Different reasons," he answered vaguely.

"Care to elaborate?"

"No, not really," he said, chuckling nervously.

"Ok, then," I said dryly.

"Do I need a reason to be here?"

His words had me looking directly into his eyes, searching for answers. _Yes_, I wanted to say. But that would open a can of worms I wasn't sure I wanted to rehash with him. I'd argued my side with him once before, and it had gotten me nothing but a severely broken heart. I wasn't sure going down that road again was something I wanted to do. What would I gain from it?

So, instead of replying, I just shrugged my shoulders and looked away. Silence passed between us as the minutes rolled by.

At last he spoke. "Bella, I've got some things going on in my life right now that I can't really explain, but I promise I will soon. I just need you to be patient with me."

"I wasn't aware you wanted anything from me. What exactly am I being patient for?"

He ignored my questions. "Can't we be friends?" he asked, blowing my mind. I stared, wide-eyed, at him.,

"You want to be friends?" I questioned. "I don't understand."

"I know," he replied. "But I'd like to try."

"I don't think that's a good idea, Edward. I can barely look at you."

"I think we should try," he reasoned.

"We'll see," I said, baffled. _How could I be friends with someone I was in love with but couldn't have?_

"Thank you," he said, seeming pleased.

"Well, friend, did you know you're also my neighbor?"

"Yes. Alice told me. She also told me you're teaching at the school as well. Honestly, I didn't know you lived in Forks. I assumed you'd stayed in Seattle. You always loved the city."

"A lot has changed, Edward."

"Yes, I can see that," he said.

"What does that mean?"

"Just an observation I've made. That's all. Doesn't mean anything bad, Bella."

"Ok."

"You live in a small town now, you grow vegetables for a hobby, you dress differently. It's as if I don't even really know who you are."

"Maybe you don't. A lot has happened since you saw me last. I had a lot of growing up to do. Doesn't mean I take back what I said that day in the apartment. I meant every word."

"I know you did."

"But you don't believe them." It was a statement because he'd made it clear he thought me as nothing but a liar and I doubted his opinion of me would ever change no matter how decent he was being to me now.

"I just need some time, Bella."

"Five years is a long time, Edward."

"Yes, it is."

I felt tears begin to form in my eyes and turned away from him, blinking them away. We were joined by Alice and my mother before our conversation could go any deeper. The guilt in my stomach ebbed away as it should have. I had nothing to be guilty over.

"Bella, this is Alice. My sister," Edward said, motioning towards the small woman standing before me.

I forced a smile and greeted her. "Hello."

"Hi," she said enthusiastically. She smiled broadly before her eyes became enlarged, making me feel slightly uncomfortable. "Oh. My. God! Is that Prada?" she nearly shouted, staring at my dress.

"Oh, I'm not sure. Probably," I said, looking over my shoulder as if I could read the tag

"Turn around; let me see," my mother commanded. I turned and felt my mother's hands on my neck. "Looks like it is," she confirmed for Alice.

"We're going to be great friends," Alice exclaimed to me, and Edward chuckled, shaking his head. He was smiling. I was confused by these two and their odd behavior towards me.

I didn't respond to Alice, so my mother took over, giving me a dirty look. "My sister works in Paris for _Vogue,_ and she sends Bella things quite often. Actually, Bella has a new box of fun things sitting in her closet that arrived just yesterday."

Alice's eyes got even bigger as she stared at me. "You are so freakin' lucky. You must have an amazing closet."

"It's something else, that's for sure."

"I thought you liked all that stuff," Edward said with a chuckle.

"I thought I did, too," I whispered, looking down at my feet. The three of them were starting to piss me off. They all were acting as if everything were ok. How could my mother stand there in front of me, speaking to them like nothing ever happened? Did she not realize the pain this man put me through?

Edward noticed the shift in my mood and his cheeks fell, a frown replacing his beautiful smile.

"We should probably get going, Alice," he said, stepping away from me as he pushed his hands into his pockets.

"Oh, ok," Alice said, slightly saddened as she stared from her brother to me. I glared at her, wanting her to see that we would most certainly not be good friends. There were no pajama parties in our near future where we'd try on clothes and talk about boys. She didn't want to hear the things I had to say about her brother.

"It was nice to meet you, Bella. I guess I'll see you at work," Alice offered in a sweet, sincere tone.

"I guess you will." I turned from them and walked to the table we had set up and greeted one of our customers. Edward and Alice were gone by the time I made the sale. My mother said nothing to me, and I took my spot back on the tailgate. My legs were no longer swinging as if I had no care in the world.

It was after noon by the time we sold out. My dad returned to the truck just in time to load the table and empty buckets.

The drive to my parents' house was silent. My dad had missed my interaction with the Cullens, but he wasn't stupid; he knew something was up.

"We'll come by sometime later and pick up the car," my dad said as he and mom got out of the truck and I slid over to the driver's seat.

"Fine," I snapped.

"Hey, don't use that tone with me. I don't know why you're so upset, but it's not our fault."

"It's not _your _fault," I shot back, making it clear I was upset with my mother.

"I guess you're mad at me. Fine, I guess I deserve it. But there is no reason not to be civil with them, Bella," mom said, trying to reason with me.

"Being civil and being all buddy-buddy with them are two different things, mother. You acted like nothing ever happened," I yelled.

"Well, I am so sorry. But let me tell you something right now. If you have a chance to make things right with that man, then you better do it. Second chances don't come around every day."

"You make is sound like I did something wrong. In case you forgot. I. Am. Innocent." Tears were streamingdown my face now and my hands were shaking as I turned the keys in the ignition, restarting the truck. I threw the truck into reverse, and dust flew all around me as I quickly pulled out of the driveway.

Edward's car was sitting in his driveway as I drove past. My heart rate escalated at the mere thought of him. Blood boiled in my veins as I drove up to my house, putting the truck in park and yanking out the keys . I didn't even hesitate as I stomped down my driveway and across the street. I banged my fist on the door until it opened.

I was glad it was Edward and not Alice that answered. "You listen to me, Edward Cullen. I do NOT want to be your friend. Right now, I don't want anything to do with you. You BROKE my heart. I cried over you for six months. I went through things because of you that you don't even know about. You have no idea. No idea. Not only did I lose you, but I was ridiculed for things I didn't do. I had to leave my life behind and come here because of that. I'm not going to sit around and act like nothing happened between us, act like everything is fine, when everything is not fine. Everything will never be fine when you still believe all those lies about me."

Edward stared wide-eyed at me as I turned away from him and stomped back down his porch steps. He didn't follow me or call after me. I wasn't at all sure what he was thinking. All I knew was that I had to get away from him. I needed to clear my head.

I ran inside my house and up the stairs to my room where I quickly changed into my workout clothes. Downstairs, I hurriedly slipped into my sneakers and ran out the back door of my house and around to the front before hitting the road, starting off into a full-on sprint without even warming up first. My heart was already at a fast beat. No need for warm-ups.

I ran straight past Edward's and Alice's house as I made my way down my normal running path. Soon, I was off Cherry Street and turning down Riverside Drive, a more secluded road, when I heard a car approaching from behind. I thought nothing of it, as cars often drove past me during my runs, until I heard a car door shut. I glanced over my shoulder to find Edward coming towards me. I picked up the pace, knowing I'd never last long at that speed, but all I cared about in that moment was getting as far away from him as possible.

"Leave me alone!" I yelled.

"You'll never outrun me, Bella. I've been doing this much longer than you have," he yelled back. His voice was much closer than I wanted to admit. I kept running anyway, and, keeping true to his word, he was soon at my side, running along with me.

"Will you just stop for a minute? Damn, when did you learn to run so fast?" he huffed as he grabbed at my arm to stop me.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled, but I stopped as he'd asked. I bent over, my hands on my knees, as I breathed heavily.

"Thanks," he said, his breathing already back to normal.

"I didn't do it for you," I harshly replied.

"You don't come to my house and yell at me without at least hearing what I have to say, too," he snapped as he started pacing the road we were on.

"I don't care what you have to say," I snapped back as I stood up straight, watching his movements.

"That's not fucking fair, Bella, and you know it."

"What's not fucking fair, Edward, is being accused of something I didn't do and then getting treated as if nothing ever fucking happened."

I shook my head several times as I turned as started walking back towards the house.

"Don't walk away from me," he demanded, coming up behind me.

"I wouldn't have to if you hadn't walked away from me first," I accused. My eyes were burning from the tears threatening to break free. My self control was crumbling quickly. Being mad at him and speaking to him the way I was, wasn't something I ever wanted to do. No matter how much he'd hurt me.

"Will you just listen to me, please?" he begged, his tone softer then.

I stopped walking, but didn't turn to look at him.

"I'm having it looked into."

"Having what looked into?" I asked, turning to face him now.

"Everything. All of it."

"Why now, after all this time?" I questioned.

"It was brought to my attention recently that I may have been misguided in some of the information I was given back in Seattle. I need to know the truth."

"I told you the truth, Edward. And what exactly do you mean by 'having it looked into'?"

"You said you didn't do any of it. If you're telling me the truth, don't you think I should know who did it, Bella? If you weren't lying, then someone out there owes me over $2 million. And they have a hell of a lot of explaining to do. I hired a private investigator to look into it all for me."

"Part of you still thinks it was me."

He started to speak but something dawned on me at that moment and I cut him off.

"You hired a PI? Is his name Peter?"

A shocked look crossed his face. "How do you know that?" he asked.

"Unbelievable!" I shouted. And then I was the one pacing. "This is unbelievable. That jackass!"

"Bella, how do you know about Peter?"

I stopped walking and turned to look at his face. "I was supposed to have dinner with Peter tonight. He called last night and canceled, saying something came up with work. He won't date me because something actually did come up at work. Me. He's investigating me."

Edward's jaw tightened momentarily before he asked, "You two were dating?"

"Tonight would have been the first date," I replied quietly, my words meaning more than he could understand. He'd find out everything eventually, though, if Peter really was looking into me. I knew he was the best at his job. I couldn't believe he had betrayed me like this. I'd never be able to look at Peter the same.

"Oh," he said, before adding, "and he's not investigating you, not exactly; he's just looking into events around the time that happened with us five years ago."

"How do you expect him to find anything after so long?"

"I don't know that he will, but I've been told he's the best in his work. I've got to start somewhere."

We stared at each other for several moments, neither of us speaking. Raindrops began to slowly drop down on us.

"Get in the car; I'll take you home," he said and made a move to walk towards me.

"No, thanks!" I spat, and turned on my heel, away from him.

"You were always so damn stubborn. At least some things haven't changed. If you don't get in the car, I'll just pick you up and throw you in there myself. And don't even try to outrun me. I've already proven that can't be done."

I exhaled through my nose as I stomped to the passenger side and threw myself in. I buckled my seat belt and crossed my arms over my chest like a petulant child. Edward slid in behind the steering wheel and gently closed his door before taking off. I'd come farther than I realized as we drove past my halfway mark.

"I know you didn't take the money. That much is obvious," he spoke softly, breaking the silence. "But it doesn't explain everything else. I have to know the facts once and for all, Bella. I have to know who all was involved. If what you told me all those years ago is all true, then don't you want to know who set you up? I sure as hell do."

"I put it behind me, Edward. I had to. I had to move on with my life. I dwelled on it for so long."

"I didn't know I would see you so soon until Alice came home yesterday from the school and told me you were our neighbor." He said this as he pulled into his driveway. I just sat there, thinking over his words.

As he turned the car off, he added, "I figured I'd come find you in Seattle once I found out whether or not you'd done . . . well, done all that I was told you did." The hurt in his voice was painful to hear as his words made me see he still believed some of the lies.

"Well, you know where to find me when you do. Because if Peter is as good as he says he is, then you'll know. You'll know that all along I was telling the truth and that you hurt me for nothing. You know, after a year or so I thought maybe you made it all up. That maybe it was your way out of our relationship. You knew how much I loved you and how I couldn't wait to start a family with you. I thought maybe I was moving too fast or that you really just didn't love me like you said you did."

"You know I was in love with you, Bella. How could you ever question that?"

"You distrusted me so easily. It was all that made sense."

"Pictures don't lie, Bella. What was I supposed to believe when I saw those?"

"Pictures do lie sometimes, Edward. People make money from making them do just that every day."

We were silent again as the tears finally began to fall. I wiped them away quickly, but they kept on falling.

"Here," he said, reaching into his back pocket and pulling out a white handkerchief.

"Thanks," I said, taking it from his hands and dabbing my eyes with it. I laid it on the console of the carbefore taking a deep breath and reaching for the door handle. There wasn't much left to say to one another until he learned the truth from someone besides me.

"Bella," he said, making me pause. "I meant what I said about trying to be friends."

"It's hard to be friends with someone who's having me investigated," I seethed before getting out of the car.

Edward didn't follow me or try to contact me the rest of the night. I tossed and turned in my bed as our conversations ran through my head. I wasn't sure who I was more upset with: Edward or Peter.

I tried putting myself in Edward's shoes, wondering how I would have felt had someone come to me with all that he'd been told I'd done. He'd been given some pretty convincing evidence. Some I couldn't even explain, it was all so good. Someone, somewhere, had taken a lot of time constructing everything in order to make it look like I was guilty. Someone had to have followed me for months, tracking my every move.

It never occurred to me until then that someone had to have been watching me, learning my daily routines in order to make the lies so believable I couldn't even properly defend myself. As mad as I was at Peter, I sure hoped he really was good at his job. I needed to know who set me up. And Edward needed the truth.

The next morning I was tempted to hit snooze at 5:30 but decided against it. I knew Peter would have a hard time proving my innocence after all this time. There was a good chance Edward would never get the facts straight, and I needed to continue to live my life as I was doing before he came back into it.

After my run, instead of driving to the diner for breakfast, I opted to stay home and cook for myself. I phoned Rosalie, however, so she wouldn't worry.

I pulled out a cutting board from the cupboard while the phone at the diner rang. "Rosalie's," a young, female voice answered which I knew to belong to Claire, one of Rosalie's waitresses.

"Hey, Claire, it's Bella. Is Rosalie busy?"

"Nope. Hang on."

I only waited a few seconds before Rose answered.

"What's wrong?" she questioned as soon as she answered the phone.

"I got in a fight with my mom," I said.

"Damn. What happened?"

"She defended Edward."

"Why would she do that?"

"I don't know. I'll tell you the whole story later. I just called to tell you I'm not coming for breakfast this morning."

Rose huffed on the other line but didn't argue with me. We said our goodbyes, and I began chopping vegetables for my omelet. I took my breakfast to the back deck and enjoyed the small bit of sunshine peeking through the thickening clouds as I ate. Halfway through my eggs, I heard a loud knock echoing through the house. I grabbed my plate and cup of coffee and walked inside, setting my dishes on the counter before walking through the house to the front door.

I opened it to find Edward standing there, looking freshly showered and as beautiful as ever in a pair of jeans and a dark grey t-shirt.

"What do you want?" I rudely asked.

He cocked an eyebrow at me. "That attitude doesn't suit you well."

"I think it suits me just fine."

He smiled crookedly at me as he crossed his arms in front of him, challenging me. I felt my resolve melting away as the need to return the smile itched inside of me. I looked away before I broke.

"I wondered if you wanted to have breakfast with me, but it smells like you've already cooked," he said, peering over my head and into the house. _Should I invite him in?_ I did have extra food prepared.

I stepped aside to allow him entrance as I said, "I made extra."

He didn't hesitate to walk past me into the house. I shut the door behind me and walked to the kitchen, hoping he'd follow. The rest of the open-faced omelet I'd prepared was still sitting in the skillet on the stove. I plated it for him and placed it on the kitchen bar, before stepping back and leaning against the counter behind me. I watched him as he took his seat, seeing him eye the food in front of him with a peculiar look on his face.

"Something wrong with the food?"

"What? No. Of course not," he rushed to say, sounding apologetic. "It's just not what I expected to see. I'm used to bacon and pancakes. All things unhealthy," he grinned up at me. "This looks good, though." He was being too nice. And I hated that he brought up a memory of our time together.

"You didn't honestly think I'd come home to that after my run, did you?"

"Well, yeah, actually," he said, stuffing a fork full into his mouth. "This is delicious, though."

"I don't cook that stuff anymore. I'm trying to take care of myself."

"It shows," he said, motioning towards me, before his eyes went wide as he realized what he'd just said. "Not that you needed to change or anything. I mean, yes, it's good to take care of yourself. But you always looked . . . well, I mean, you know how I thought you looked." His eyebrows creased as he looked back down at his plate.

"Do I look different?" I questioned, wondering just how uncomfortable I could make him feel. I knew I must have looked different to someone who hadn't seen me in five years. I was doing yoga three times a week and had for three years. I'd been running every morning for over four years. I ate differently. My clothes had all gone down a size. I wondered what I looked like to him.

He raised his eyebrows at me, not going for the bait. He obviously knew what I was up to. I rolled my eyes.

"Won't you sit?" he asked, motioning to the empty stool beside him with his head. He seemed entirely too comfortable there.

"I'm fine where I'm at," I said.

"Suit yourself."

I stared at him as he ate in silence. _Why was he here?_ His nonchalance was eating me alive.

My phone rang, and I grabbed it off the wall, not moving from my spot as I answered it. "Hello?" I asked, not bothering to check the caller ID first.

"I have news," Angela said excitedly from the other end of the line.

"Oh? What's that?" A smile spread across my face as I spoke.

"It's a boy!" she squealed loudly. A twinge of both pain and jealousy swept through me, but I ignored it.

"Oh my gosh. Really? How did you find out?"

"Ben's sister is a night nurse at the hospital in Port Angeles. We stopped by there last night after we had dinner at the pier. Her boyfriend works in the Radiology department and offered to give us a sneak peek. Bella, it was so obvious right away. Ben cried."

"Oh, Ange. I'm so happy for you guys."

"We told everyone else at breakfast this morning, and I made them promise not to tell you. I wanted to. I wish you would have been there, but Rose explained you weren't feeling well."

I thought of Rose instantly and knew she'd need a shoulder after hearing Angela's news. Rosalie never handled baby news well.

"Yeah, I just needed to stay in and rest up a bit this morning," I lied, thankful Rosalie had covered for me. Edward stared at me in confusion as I spoke. I just shook my head at him.

"Well, I better go. We have grandparents to call," she said happily.

"Ok, love you," I said.

"You too, sweetie."

I placed the phone back on the wall just as Edward was taking his last bite.

"Good news, I presume?" he asked curiously.

"Ben and Angela are having a boy."

He smiled easily, not knowing the internal pain I was going through at the moment. I wished hearing of other's baby joy didn't hurt so much.

"Ben hates me," Edward said, standing from his stool, dishes in hand. I reached for them, but he rolled his eyes at me as he made his way to the sink. I moved to get out of his way then took his seat at the bar as he washed his dishes. The whole thing was a bit surreal, watching Edward in my kitchen, washing dishes as if he belonged here. He seemed so at ease around me. _Why couldn't I feel the same around him?_

I wondered if I ever would. I wondered if this was how it was going to be for us from then on. _Could I really be friends with him_? No, I didn't think I could. How would I react when he started dating someone? What if he already was and I just didn't know it? I couldn't be around for that.

I sat at the bar, waiting for him to finish up, hoping that Peter would come through and make this all better for me.

"Ben's protective, that's all," I said in Ben's defense. "I'll tell him to ease up."

Edward dried off his hands on a dish towel and took to leaning against the counter where I'd been standing moments before. He stared at me as if contemplating something. I didn't give him time to think further, though.

"Look," I said, glancing down at my hands, looking for the courage I needed to say what I was feeling, "I can't do this, Edward. There's a big chance you'll never know the truth and I can't have you in my life as if things may be better for us one day. I need you to please stay away until Peter finishes the investigation. You can let me know what he finds out. Until then, I need space. Please."

"You said you'd try," he pleaded, making my heart ache.

"I just can't."

I couldn't watch as he walked away, out of the kitchen and out the front door. When I heard the door click, I cried harder than I had in five years. I let all the pain and hurtful memories wash over me.

After I regained my senses, I called Rosalie and told her to come over when she finished the lunch shift. She was quiet as we spoke and I could tell from her voice, she'd been crying too. Both of us had had our pasts thrown in our faces that morning, both more hurtful than anyone else in our lives knew.

**AN: Alright folks, I need reviews in order to know if anyone likes this story or not. Please make me proud!**


	5. Touchy Feely

**AN: To my reviewers: I love you all deeply.**

**Ch. 5 – Touchy Feely**

I watched Rosalie pull into my driveway from the front window of my living room. Rain was beating down in heavy waves, making it hard to get a good visual of Rose. Her hair and clothes were soaked by the time she made it to the door.

"Here," I said, handing her a towel the moment she walked in.

"Thanks," she replied, and even though she was drenched in rain water, I could still tell she'd been crying from the bruise-like color under her eyes. I gave her a warm smile as I made my way to the couch.

"I laid out some clothes for you," I offered, motioning towards the chair holding a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt. She changed right in front of me, leaving her rain-sodden clothes on the tiled floor in front of the door. She knew I didn't care.

She walked over to the couch and lay beside me, resting her head in my lap. I felt my legs dampen as her cold, wet hair soaked them. I didn't mind because at the same time, I heard her quiet sobs.

When I first met Rosalie I thought the worst of her relationship with Royce, her ex-fiancé, had been that he'd abused her. And though that was bad enough to make any woman want to leave him, she told me one night, weeks after we'd become friends, that the only reason he'd proposed to her in the first place was because he'd gotten her pregnant. His parents were famous politicians in Portland, where Rose was from, and they expected their son to do the right thing for gossip's sake.

Although getting pregnant before marriage wasn't something Rosalie had planned, she was nonetheless happy about becoming a mother. She'd always wanted at least three children and was excited about getting a head start on that part of her life.

Royce wasn't abusive when she'd first moved in with him. He was attentive when the morning sickness kicked in. He'd hold her hair back for her when she'd get sick. But as the nausea subsided and Rosalie didn't need as much attention from Royce, he started coming home later and later from work.

When Rosalie was 18 weeks pregnant and attended her first ultrasound alone, she decided to confront him on his tardiness. That was the day she found out she was pregnant with a boy and Royce had missed it. She stayed up late that night until he arrived home drunk. When she called him out on it, she received her first slap in the face. It knocked her to the ground. She was so stunned that she merely lay there for hours before picking herself off the ground and going to bed, where Royce had passed out long before.

After that night Royce was always finding excuses to hurt Rose. Her family was too far away to help her out of the awful situation, and she had no close friends. She was terrified for the baby but glad Royce kept his punches and kicks aimed at her face and legs. She never left the house so there was no one to see the evidence of Royce's terrible behavior.

It wasn't until two weeks later, when Royce had Rosalie curled into a ball on the floor of their bedroom and he continuously kicked at her stomach that she decided to do something about it. She managed to pull herself into their shared closet where his shot gun was located and grabbed it, aiming right at his head.

Royce surrendered to her and she held the gun in place with one hand as she dialed 911 with the other; all the while blood trickled down her leg. She learned later that night that the baby didn't survive. She also learned Royce had been hauled off to jail.

When Rosalie was capable of speaking to anyone, the first thing she did was call a lawyer. When her lawyer learned of what happened and realized who had put Rose in the hospital, he took on the case for free; his dislike for Royce's family was too strong to pass up such an opportunity.

After everything was said and done and his family had been dragged through the court, Royce was convicted of manslaughter and Rosalie walked away a rich lady. Rich in terms of money, but she'd lost something so precious to her that no amount of money could ever make up for: her little baby boy whom she'd never meet.

And although as thankful as she was that I hadn't suffered the way she had, she took solace in the fact that I understood some of her pain. When I first moved home to Forks, I'd been nine weeks pregnant and unaware of it. I'd been so upset at losing Edward that I hadn't even realized the missed periods. It was the sharp, shooting pains in my lower abdomen that sent me rushing to the ER one late night. The doctor on call gave me the news of the miscarriage, and I lay in my father's arms and my mother held my hand as the three of us cried. I was devastated.

Edward and I had talked about children and marriage often, knowing it wouldn't have been long until we headed down that path. In fact, I'd had reason to believe Edward was planning to propose right before he broke up with me. And we'd already started picking out baby names too.

_"I like Elizabeth," Edward exclaimed as we lay on our backs on his large bed._

_"And if we have a boy, I like Masen, after your mom," I said._

_"Hmmm, I like that. I never thought to use mom's maiden name. She'll be happy about that." He leaned over and kissed me deeply before turning off the bedside lamp._

_"Of course we should probably get married first before we start having these babies," Edward gushed._

_"True. We should probably meet each other's families before we get married," I chuckled._

We'd been dating a year and neither of us had met the other's family. I kept making excuses not to go to Forks, hating the small town. And Edward's family was spread throughout the country: his sister in New York, his parents in Chicago, and his brother in Los Angeles. And we were broken apart before we could ever make any trips to meet anyone.

Rosalie's sobs began to subside after awhile and she sat up, wiping at her nose with the back of her hand. Neither of us spoke; there was no need to. We both still got upset over the loss of our children, not really having had any proper way to grieve for them. Rosalie didn't get to give her baby a proper funeral, and I'd never even gotten to tell Edward about ours.

Edward had left Washington immediately after the break up, seeking solace in Chicago. I only learned of that two years later when I ran into an old friend of ours one night in Port Angeles. By then I was trying to move on and knew there was no point in seeking Edward out just to give him the awful news.

"Yoga class starts in 20 minutes," Rose said, peering at the clock above my TV.

"Let's skip it," I offered.

She was quiet for a moment before saying, "No, we should go. It will be good for us. Clear our heads."

"Fine," I said, standing from the couch as I wiped at my eyes, brushing away my own tears.

I grabbed two umbrellas from beside the door and handed one to Rose. We both ran quickly to her red BMW and threw ourselves in. The rain was coming down so hard that I still managed to get partially wet.

"Don't get my seat wet, Swan," Rose demanded as she pulled onto the street.

"Like I can help it, Hale," I shot back, neither of us really being serious.

We arrived at the recreational center 15 minutes before class. We sat in the car as I filled Rose in on all that had happened between me and Edward over the last two days.

"Remind me to kick Peter's ass the next time I see him," Rosalie seethed as I sat beside her, shaking my head.

"Don't bother Rose. Just let it be. I'm just glad I never actually went out with him."

"That bastard," she said under her breath. It took me most of the waiting time to give her all the dirty details, and we ended up being the last two to class. By the time it was over, I was glad she'd made us come after all. It actually did clear my head and hers as well.

We ended up going to the diner after class and sat at one of the back tables stuffing our faces with French fries and chocolate milk shakes. I didn't normally eat that unhealthily, but a splurge now and again did a girl some good.

"So you just told Edward to piss off then?" Rose asked, stuffing a handful of fries into her mouth.

"Not in those exact words, but yes, I told him I didn't want to see him right now," I replied.

"Good girl."

"It's gonna be hard," I said, and she shook her head.

"No, you can do it. You're a strong woman."

"No, it's going to be hard because it's a small town and there aren't many places to hide." I pointed towards the window facing the street, and Rosalie turned around to see Edward and Alice climbing out of a silver car.

"How many cars does he have?" I asked out loud curiously.

"Maybe the other one is his sister's," Rose pondered. I shrugged my shoulders. We were sitting in the back, so maybe he wouldn't notice us.

I watched as they entered the diner and sat at the bar, neither of them looking my way. Edward appeared to be in a somber mood. He didn't read over his menu as Alice did. He just sat, staring aimlessly at the wall behind the counter. I tried hard not to feel badly for sending him away this morning.

"You're staring at him," Rosalie said, interrupting my thoughts. I exhaled loudly through my nose and looked away. I racked my brain, looking for a subject change. The perfect idea sprung to my head.

"Oh, you got a birthday present in the mail the other day," I exclaimed.

"From Lidia?" Rose asked excitedly. I nodded in response. "What is it?" she begged.

"Not telling."

"Tell me," she pleaded, rubbing her hands together.

"I can't. It's not your birthday. Plus, I forget what it's called."

This confused her as she attempted to guess. "Shoes?" I shook my head. "A dress," she guessed hopefully.

"It's a bag," I said, breaking. "I can't remember what kind though."

"What does it look like?"

"It's pink and big. That's all I know."

"You suck at this."

"I know," I said, giggling, because I really did. I didn't know nearly as much about fashion as I used to pretend like I did. I didn't know why I ever did that.

"You'll give it to me when I take you home."

"I will not. Today is not your birthday lady."

"Oh, come on," Rose whined loudly, drawing attention to us from around the room.

"Good job," I whispered when Edward's head turned in our direction. I made momentary eye contact with him then quickly turned away. I kicked Rose's leg under the table.

"Ouch!" she yelled, laughing at me. She was in a better mood than I expected her to be in after the news we'd received this morning.

"What a day," I said, as if Rose could read my mind.

"Yeah," she said, and I wondered if sometimes she could. We were almost always on the same train of thought these days.

"You ok, chick?" she asked.

"Sure. Why not right?"

"I'd be a freakin' mess if I were you," she confessed.

"Thankfully, there's no way you'll ever be faced with your past. Definitely better me than you," I said, and I was thankful that I was going through this and not her. I hoped Rosalie was never faced with Royce ever again. Going forever without seeing him wouldn't be long enough for her.

There was a loud roaring noise outside and Rosalie rolled her eyes, not even needing to turn around to know where the noise came from. "Does he have to drive that obnoxious piece of crap?" Rosalie questioned loudly as Jacob Black, her main cook, parked his motorcycle out front and ran inside, escaping the rain.

He saw me watching him and turned away, frowning without offering a smile or wave.

Jacob and I had been really close when I'd returned home to Forks. Our dad's were best friends, and we'd grown up together. He was like a brother to me, but he ruined that by proposing to me eight months prior. What had given him the bright idea to do that was beyond me. I'd always known he had feelings for me, but I'd thought he knew I wasn't interested in being with anyone. He had gotten down on one knee one night at the diner in front of all our family and friends and popped the question. I was furious he'd put me in such a position. He'd taken advantage of the situation, no doubt hoping that if he asked me in front of everyone I would never say no. I'd marched out of the diner without so much as speaking one word, and he and I had then fought out in the middle of the street. He'd called me pathetic so I punched him in the jaw. My hand hurt for days. We haven't spoken since.

Jacob and Rosalie acted as if they hated one another; they were always fighting and screaming at each other. But Rosalie depended on him and knew Jacob could run the diner for her if the chance ever came up. Jacob was a small town kind of guy who would live in Forks happily for the rest of his life, cooking at the diner. He never needed much. His bike was his pride and joy, and he was the one who fixed it when needed, so money wasn't really something Jake needed a lot of. It was one thing I had always admired about him.

"I see he still hates me," I sadly spoke, a bit of guilt seeping out as I felt bad for breaking his heart.

"I think he's gotten over you," Rose whispered, leaning towards me as if about to spill some juicy gossip.

"Really? Who is she?"

"Leah Clearwater. I caught them making out behind the diner two nights ago."

"Not Leah. She's a jerk," I said, not having completely forgiven her for the tenth grade accusation.

"Oh, yeah, and I am glad because I hate the two of you not talking. It's sad."

"I know. Maybe I'll try to talk to him soon."

"Maybe you should let him come to you. Don't want to give him false hope."

"True," I said, just as I noticed a familiar brown truck pull into the spot beside Edward's silver car.

"There's Jasper," I said, pointing.

"Wonder if he knows what his brother's been up to?" Rose accused.

"We'll find out soon," I said, standing in order to make myself known and motioning for him to come over. He gave me one of those thoughtful looks of his and sauntered over towards us.

"You're mad at me," he said as I closed the distance between us and wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Not necessarily," I offered as we took our seats. It didn't slip my notice that Edward was watching us now. I tried not to care.

"What does that mean?" Jasper asked, opening a menu as if he didn't have the entire thing memorized.

"Do you have any idea what your brother has been up to lately?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him, hoping like hell that he didn't. I didn't want Jasper involved.

"I haven't spoken to Peter in days. Why? What's he been up to?" Jasper replied, his eyes never leaving the menu.

Rosalie snatched it from his hands, making him face me. "He's been hired to investigate me," I said and I was finally able to get a reaction out of him. He blanched back, staring wide-eyed at me.

"What did you do?"

Jasper knew minor details of my story, as I'd shared the summarized version of it to him on a class field trip once. "Edward hired him."

"The ex-boyfriend? Took him long enough," Jasper said, earning him a kick from Rosalie and an elbow in the ribs from me. "Oww!" he cried.

"He's sitting at the bar," I said. "Don't look," I warned just as Jasper turned his head and stared at Edward, who was still watching us. I hid my face in my hands, knowing Edward must realize we were talking about him.

When I looked back up, he was still looking at us, and I rolled my eyes as I waved him over. He didn't move at first, contemplating my motives no doubt, but finally stood, tugging on Alice's arm to join him. They were standing at our table soon enough.

"Edward, Alice, these are my friends Rosalie and Jasper." I said, motioning a hand at both my friends. "Alice is Edward's sister," I cleared up.

"Hi," Alice chirped, acting again as if none of it were weird.

"Would you like to join us?" Jasper asked, smiling goofily at Alice. I squeezed his knee but wasn't quick enough as Alice took the empty seat beside Rosalie. The only available place left at the table was beside me on the bench Jasper and I were sharing. Edward cocked an eyebrow at me, silently asking my permission to sit. I nodded my head at him, telling him it was ok.

But, it really was not ok. Just three hours earlier I'd told him I didn't want to be around him right now. And there I was sitting at a table with him, our arms brushing against one another's due to the close quarters we were sharing. My arm prickled at the sensation of his skin touching mine. I would never survive if Peter's investigation took too long.

"Well, this isn't weird at all," Rosalie piped in, gaining a chuckle from Edward. She shot him a 'go to hell' look and his jaw tightened as he looked away from her.

"Be nice," I warned her. She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms.

"Alice will be working with us at school," I told Jasper and Alice smiled happily at him.

"You work there too?" Alice asked.

"I teach U.S. History. My classroom is across the hall from Bella's," Jasper offered. "What do you teach?"

"I'll be filling in for Angela Cheney while she's on maternity leave. And next year I'll be taking over for the art teacher when she retires."

This was news to me. I had wondered briefly what would become of Alice once Angela returned to work.

"I didn't realize Ms. Perkin was retiring," Jasper said and I interrupted him with, "That's it! That's the bag, Rosalie. A Birkin," I remembered.

"You have a Birkin?" Alice gasped, turning to Rosalie.

"Not yet I don't. Oh, my God. She sent me a Birkin!" Rosalie was ecstatic.

"It's hiding in the back of my closet where it will stay until her birthday," I said to Alice.

"I must see this closet of yours," she said.

"You'll love it," Rosalie said before I could answer Alice. Rosalie started explaining certain pieces hanging in my closet, gaining oohs and ahs from Alice. I ignored their conversation and instead turned to Edward and said, "Did you know Jasper and Peter are brothers?"

"No, I didn't know that," he whispered, looking down at his hands folded on the table. "I'm sorry if that causes any awkwardness between the two of you. You both seem close," Edward said, looking from me to Jasper.

"Peter won't discuss cases with me that involve people I know," Jasper offered, not hearing the jealousy in Edward's tone. He thought something was going on between me and Jasper, I could tell.

"Jasper is a really good friend of mine, Edward. That's all," I whispered low enough for only him to hear. I shouldn't have had to explain myself to him, but I couldn't help it. I needed him to know.

Edward smiled at me, but it didn't reach his eyes. I'd no doubt hurt his feelings that morning. But I didn't know how to behave around him. A huge part of me was upset that he'd hired a P.I., but another needed him to know the truth no matter how he got it.

A waitress named Rachel came to take Jasper's order just as she brought Alice and Edward their plates. They were both having the grilled chicken salad. Without even thinking, I grabbed a cucumber slice off Edward's plate and popped it in my mouth, remembering how he hated them.

"Sorry," I quickly said.

"It's ok," he replied softly, a grin forming on his lips.

Jasper ordered a cheeseburger, sending Rachel back to the kitchen. I slurped at the remainder of my milk shake and listened to Rosalie and Alice's conversation about whether or not Rosalie should carry her Birkin to work.

"You might get food on in," Alice said seriously.

"That would suck," Rosalie replied. I shook my head at the ridiculousness of their conversation.

"It's just a purse," I said, adding my two cents. They both glared at me.

"It amazes me that you are actually related to someone who works in the fashion industry," Rosalie said.

"I thought you always enjoyed the things Lidia sent you," Edward said.

"I just wanted to look nice for you," I said softly.

"You could have dressed in rags and I would have been impressed with you Bella," Edward said, putting down his fork and looking into my eyes.

Rosalie opened her mouth to no doubt say something rude to Edward when a loud crash echoed from the kitchen.

"What the hell was that?" Rosalie yelled, jumping to her feet. I watched as she quickly disappeared behind the counter and into the kitchen.

Alice and Jasper struck up a conversation about the meeting at school the next day, while Edward and I just sat there listening to them talk. At some point during their conversation, which had morphed into a discussion about the Civil War, Edward had finished eating and my left arm had subconsciously rested up against his right. Our hands were resting in our laps and I almost jumped out of my skin when Edward reached over, under the table, and placed his hand on top of mine.

My heart pounded in my chest at the feel of his touch. I flipped my hand over and locked our fingers together without thinking it through. He gave my hand a quick squeeze and we sat there holding hands in secret like two teenagers trying to hide our romance from our parents. I would most likely cry myself to sleep over this that night.

But for right then, I just sat back and enjoyed it. He must have somewhat believed in my innocence if he was so willing to be this close to me. I knew he'd been hurt all those years ago. I knew it as much as I knew he had been as deeply in love with me as I had been with him.

Rosalie rejoined us at some point only to tell me she had to stay. The shelf holding most of her dishes had broken and she needed to clean up the mess. Edward offered to drive me home.

On the drive back to Cherry Street, I learned the silver car was actually a Volvo and couldn't help but make fun of Edward for driving a soccer mom car.

"The Volvo makes more sense," he said in his defense as I asked why he'd gotten rid of the Aston Martin he had driven.

"I gave it to Emmett," he explained. Emmett was Edward's older brother.

"Yeah ok, mom," I teased, gaining me a laugh from Alice in the backseat.

Edward parked in their driveway behind Alice's black Mercedes, and we all climbed out.

"Can I walk you to your door?" Edward asked as Alice waved goodbye to me and walked across their lawn.

"Sure," I said, walking towards the road.

"I just can't do it," he said as we climbed my porch. I sat down on the swing, and he joined me.

"Can't do what?" I asked.

"Stay away. I can't do it, Bella. I never could." He placed his elbows on his knees and leaned forward, his chin resting in his hands.

"A part of me is really mad at you Edward. I can't just overlook that."

"I know. I know. But I don't know how to stay away."

"Then there must be a part of you that believes in me," I mentioned.

He nodded his head in agreement. "I know deep down you were telling me the truth, but it's just so hard to move past after all this time."

"What made you decide to look into it now? After all this time?"

Edward took a deep breath before launching into the story. "Alice had just graduated from college and was desperate to find a teaching job. She sent her resume all over the country, mostly to big cities, and somehow it ended up at Forks High School. She and I were sharing an apartment when she received a letter from the principal offering her a job.

"She asked me if I'd heard of Forks before, and I pretty much forbade her from coming here. I didn't want any ties with Washington ever again. Alice got really mad at me, though. I came home from work one day and she had those pictures out. You know, the pictures of you and James. She had little pink Post-its all over them. I didn't even remember still having them, but she'd pulled them out while I was gone. She'd studied them for hours, and had found several places on each photo, proving they'd been faked. I felt like a fool. When I'd first received them, I could barely look at them, much less search for things that looked off.

"In one of the photos, you had a faint tattoo on your left calf." He snorted at that before burying his face in his hands.

"Wow," I managed to say. I remembered when he'd thrown the photos at me the day he received them. He'd had tears in his eyes and had accused me of cheating. It was the worst sort of lie anyone could have made up about me. I loved Edward with my whole heart. And those photos had been just the tip of the iceberg. The cheating had been just the beginning of all the lies someone had accused me of.

"Why didn't you tell me all this yesterday?"

"I thought it would be best for me to get all the facts before I did, but I can see now that I needed to give you something in order for you to talk to me."

"What would waiting to tell me have done?"

"I don't really know. Just seemed like a good idea at the time, I guess. Take things slow was my plan," he said.

"Some plan," I said, sighing.

"Yeah."

"So where do we go from here? I don't think I'll ever be able to be friends with you, Edward."

"Let's just . . . be. I don't know . . . get to know one another again."

"Ok," I replied, hope swelling within me.

A blue truck, much like my red Chevy, pulled up to the end of my driveway. "This ought to be interesting," I said as someone got out of the passenger seat. I watched as he walked towards us before the truck pulled away.

"Who is that?" Edward asked.

"My dad."

**AN: I know you love a good cliffy.**

**Ok, here's the deal: my daughter's birthday party is this Saturday and I've got to clean house to prepare for it. I'm really going to need some reviews if you want me to squeeze in another update before Saturday**.


	6. Two Steps Forward

**A/N: Lots of things to say before we get on with the chapter:**

**First and foremost, I want to thank everyone who reviewed! You guys are really awesome and you made me want to get this chapter done ASAP. Thank you all so much!**

**Second, to everyone who rec'd me on Twitter, Facebook, etc., THANK YOU! So many people told me they were sent to my story from someone, so whoever you are, thank you!**

**Third, my daughter's birthday party is tomorrow, so it may be Monday before I update again.**

**And one more thing…next week is my last week on maternity leave so updates won't be coming as frequently, but I promise it will be at least once a week. Also, please remember I have no beta, so it's just me editing. Please excuse the errors.**

**Oh, I lied…..one more thing: this story has nothing to do with the recent events taking place in the real world with our favorite vampire and his lady with the wandering hands. I've had this story in my head for awhile and wanted to start it before I went back to work full time. I'd never start a story about them because I don't really know what's going on in their lives…none of us really do.**

**Ok, on with the story. Enjoy!**

**Ch. 6 – Two Steps Forward…**

I knew the moment recognition hit Charlie as to who Edward was: the color of his face grew exceptionally red, all the way up to his ears. Dad had been with Harry Clearwater, most likely fishing, so he didn't have his gun with him. That was a good thing. Just because I had issues with Edward didn't mean I wanted him dead.

Edward went rigid in his seat next to me before jumping to his feet to greet Charlie as he climbed the porch steps.

"Sir, it's nice to finally meet you," Edward said, holding his hand out to Charlie.

My dad stared at Edward's hand briefly before looking into his eyes. If I could read minds, I would probably hear my dad internally say, _Are you kidding me?_

Edward slowly lowered his hand as my dad remained silent, his head cocked to the side. Charlie slowly took several steps back before he sat down in a chair on the opposite side of my small porch, his eyes never leaving Edward's face.

"Sit down, son," dad angrily said to Edward, who quickly obeyed. His movement caused us to sway back and forth for a moment as he rejoined me on the swing. I probably should have felt guilty that my dad was about to stick it to Edward. I knew I had taken it way too easy on him. I sat, patiently waiting for Edward to receive the wrath of Charlie Swan.

The smile that was beginning to form on my face quickly fell away when my dad spoke. "What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked, looking directly at me.

"Are you talking to me?" I asked, flabbergasted.

"You're damn right I am. I didn't watch you fall apart for months just for you to take him back so fast. You got better sense than that, girl."

"If I could just explain," Edward started, but quickly shut his mouth as my dad glared at him.

"I'm not ready to talk to you yet," Charlie snapped, before turning back to me.

"Well? I'm waiting Isabella."

I sighed and said, "We aren't back together. We were just talking. He knows I'm innocent."

"Took you five years to figure it out?" Charlie asked unsympathetically, looking at Edward.

Edward's mouth opened to answer, but Charlie interrupted, "I don't wanna hear what you have to say."

"Dad, please…"

"Don't you dare defend him in front of me! Saying sorry won't fix it _all_, Bella. He can't make everything better."

"I know," I whispered, looking at my hands.

"I want to try," Edward finally spoke.

Charlie quickly stood from his chair, sending it to the floor on its back, and stalked over to the swing. I jumped up, trying to get between the two men, but I wasn't fast enough. Edward didn't have time to move before my dad was leaning over him, mere inches between their faces. My dad jammed his finger in Edward's chest as he dropped his voice to a whisper. "I watched my daughter fall apart because of you. She was drifting away in front of my eyes, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. She may be able to talk to you, but you better damn well know I won't be so forgiving. If you want to talk to my daughter, you do it when I'm not around. If I see you anywhere near her I'll throw your ass in jail. I'm sure there's some unsolved crime around town I can blame on you."

Charlie stomped off the porch and headed to his car he'd left in my driveway the day before. I covered my mouth with one hand as I watched him pull away, afraid I'd start sobbing right in front of Edward.

Honestly, I thought it could have gone a lot worse. If they'd run into each other when I wasn't around, it may have. I was glad I'd been there to witness it. In time, I may be able to calm Charlie down; reason with him.

Edward stood from the swing, running a hand through his hair, and picked up Charlie's overturned chair, placing it back on its legs. He began to pace the small, open area, so I sat back down, watching him.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he suddenly cried, running back to me. He dropped to his knees in front of me, grabbing my hands as tears streamed down his cheeks. "I'm so fucking sorry. You have no idea."

I sucked in a breath as he buried his face in my lap, sobbing. Tears poured from my eyes as I hugged him to me, leaning down and burying my face in the crook of his neck.

"I'm so sorry," he repeated, his voice muffled. I didn't realize I was moving until I was in his lap, holding on tightly to his neck. He rocked me back and forth as we cried on one another.

"I'm still so mad at you," I wailed.

"I know. But you have to forgive me. You have to. I've missed you so . . . so much. I miss you. Please, Bella."

"Just hold me. Please," I begged, as he tightened his grip on me.

We remained in that position until my legs began to fall asleep. Our cries had long since died down to mere sniffles. I went to move, but he tried to hold me to him. "My legs," I said, and he loosened his arms ever so slightly. I managed to break free from his grasp and stood. I held my hands out to him which he took immediately, getting to his feet. I wrapped my arms around his waist and buried my head in his chest.

"You'll have to be patient with me," I told him. I felt him nod his head, acknowledging my request, as his nose was buried in my hair.

"You still smell like strawberries," he noticed. I laughed out loud at that.

"I should go inside. I've got to get some things ready for work tomorrow." I let go of him and took a step back.

He grabbed one of my hands and placed a kiss on the back of it before saying, "Ok. I should go anyway. I promised Alice I'd cook tonight."

"I'll see you soon, ok?"

"You promise?" he asked, and I nodded my head. He dropped his hand and slowly descended the stairs, pushing his hands into his pockets. He darted across the street quickly, trying to avoid the rain. I watched him until he was inside his house.

I slowly turned around, went inside, and locked the door behind me. I walked to the kitchen and went straight for the bottle of vodka hiding in the door of my freezer and took a large swig of it. I sighed heavily before returning the bottle back to its spot.

I mulled over my father's words as I walked past the living room and down the hall to my home office. My office was, by far, my favorite room in the house. It was more of a shrine to my inner nerd. There was an entire wall of shelves dedicated to my favorite books that I had started collecting when I was eight years old. There was another wall of shelves full of CDs, records, and DVDs. Another wall of shelves was occupied by photo albums, framed pictures, and other loved items I'd collected over the years.

The back wall of the room was mostly taken up by a large window which my desk and chair sat in front of. I walked over to the rolling chair and flopped down, swiveling around to peer outside at my darkening backyard. In the daylight, the window offered an excellent view to my vegetable garden.

_Was my dad right? Had I forgiven Edward too easily?_ I shook my head at the thought. My dad didn't know the full story. But he had held me all those years ago when I'd lost the baby; lost Edward. My parents had seen me at my worst; they'd seen me through it, too. They watched their daughter grow up far too fast, something they'd tried to shield me from in my teenage years. They'd hoped I'd take my time entering the world; they wanted me to experience things others were experiencing at my age. But at 22 I was ready to marry and have children with the first serious boyfriend I'd ever had. I was ready for all that six weeks after meeting Edward.

I sat, staring into the growing blackness of night, trying to rationalize all that had gone on in my life over the past 48 hours. A week previous, if I could have had one wish granted, I would have wished for Edward to know the truth of what had happened five years before. But once he actually knew I was innocent and was back in my life, I wasn't acting the way I would have guessed.

Instead, I was hesitating. Edward's lack of trust in me had hurt far worse than one may have ever thought possible. I'd never given him one reason to distrust me. From the moment we'd first met, we had been inseparable. I was always with him. The only time we were apart were the hours he worked at the hospital; and during those times I was always at the law office. The man I had been accused of cheating with didn't work with us. I didn't even know him.

It was clear I'd have to address this with Edward. If we were to ever move forward, he'd have to prove to me somehow that he'd have faith in me, believe in me. A relationship wouldn't be worth fighting for if he couldn't trust me. I wouldn't allow myself to be further punished for something I didn't do.

_Did I even want a relationship with him?_ I'd often fantasized about him and me making up. But in that fantasy, the past hurt had never taken place. I never took the making-up process into account. It was harder than other couples made it look. I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to forgive him for hurting me the way he had.

And although I'd been able to cope with the pain of losing the baby, I wondered if I could I be with him and not somehow blame him? I knew no one was at fault for the miscarriage, but I'd often wondered if I hadn't been so stressed out at the time: would the baby have had a better chance?

Right then, I was just going to have to let things work themselves out, have faith that not all was lost. I didn't have the energy left in me to try and work it all out in my head.

I stood from my chair and walked over to the small closet placed beside the book wall and took out a tote for the supplies I'd need for work the next day. The staff meeting was only supposed to last an hour at the most, but I planned to spend most of the day in my classroom, getting it ready for the start of classes just a few weeks later. It was only my fourth year of teaching, but I had already become so used to having the summers off. I wasn't sure how I ever survived work without a six-weeks-long vacation.

Of course that summer had started to feel more like a pain in the ass than a vacation. I didn't even go anywhere exotic that year. The summer before, I'd spent five weeks in Athens, Greece with Lidia and my mother. Rose had been furious with me, calling me a traitor for leaving her in Forks all alone. She got along well with Angela, but they weren't as close to each other as Ange and I were.

It was the year my mom and Lidia discovered their love for scotch, and they'd spent most of the summer drunk. One night I was pulled from a deep sleep by a call from my mother saying they'd been thrown in jail for skinny dipping. They were both laughing hysterically when I arrived at the police station. The next morning mother cried as she begged me not to tell my father. To this day, he still doesn't know. I smiled at the thought.

When my bag was packed, I carried it out to the garage and threw it in the backseat of the Escape. I used it as my work car because I often had to take home boxes full of school projects to grade and didn't want to risk them getting rained on in the back of the truck. Plus, I knew the truck wasn't reliable. It was old and well-used and would have to be put down sooner rather than later. I didn't want to be unprepared when that day arrived.

It was a sleepless night for me, as I tossed and turned so frequently that by 1:30 I gave up and got out of bed. I switched off my alarm and walked to the bathroom, stretching my arms over my head. I wasn't nearly as tired as I should have been. I'd probably gotten no more than three hours of sleep. In the bathroom, I pulled my purple cotton robe from the back of the door and slipped it on, tying the belt securely around my waist.

After my teeth and face were clean, I went downstairs and started a pot of coffee. While I waited for it to percolate, I wandered to the front of the house and peeked out the window, not really sure what I was expecting to see, but was surprised by the light shining from the porch across the street. I could make out his image as he sat on the top step, his head in his hands. And he was alone. Alice was most likely inside, asleep, like normal people were at this hour.

I reached to my right, feeling for the light switch and, without taking my eyes off him, flipped it on, light flooding my porch immediately. The sudden pool of light flowing across my yard caught his attention, and his head snapped in my direction. I flipped the switch several times, the light going off and on quickly before leaving it on. Edward took the hint, stood from the steps, and started making his way towards my house.

I unlocked the door and pulled it open to watch him cross the street. I held it open for him once he reached the steps.

"You're up late," he said as I stood aside to allow him entrance. He was dressed in a white t shirt and blue flannel pajamas.

"Couldn't sleep," I replied. He kicked his flip flops off at the door.

"Yeah, me either."

"I've made coffee." I shut and locked the door before going back to the kitchen. I reached into the cupboard and pulled out two large coffee mugs. I poured us each a cup and started to add sugar to both before I paused, not sure he still took his coffee the same.

"Just black," he said, answering my unspoken question.

I walked over to the kitchen table where he was sitting and gave him his cup before taking the chair across from him.

He sat, with both hands on the cup, staring into it, appearing in deep thought. I wondered exactly what had kept him up. It was memories of his yelling accusations at me that had me tossing and turning.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, unable to stand the silence.

"That white dress you used to wear. You remember? The one with the red flowers on it?" He never looked at me as he spoke, but he was smiling.

"It was your favorite," I answered. "I still have it."

His smile widened. "Good."

Silence returned. I sipped at my coffee, watching him as I did so. He kept his eyes trained on his untouched drink.

"Your father hates me." He finally looked up at me.

"He's my biggest fan. He can't help it."

"Will it ever be ok?" he asked.

"I don't know." I hoped with time, maybe…

"We had it all figured out, didn't we? I wanted to marry you one day."

"I know; me, too." It was my turn to look away. I yawned and Edward stood from the table.

"I should go. You're tired."

"I don't want you to go," I admitted. He stood by his chair, staring at me, not sure of what to do. I stood, too, and walked over to him, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the living room. I hit the light switch on the wall, turning off the light in the kitchen. The only light in the house was coming from the porch light beaming in through the windows.

I walked us over to the couch and sat, tugging Edward's arm, until he did the same. Without hesitation, I curled up to his side, and he slipped his arm around me, hugging me to him.

The next thing I knew I was being awakened by a loud knock on the door and Rosalie yelling. "You better not be dead in there," she screamed as she continued to pound her fist on the door.

"Geez," I cried out, the noise jolting me from a deep sleep. At some point in the night, Edward and I had fallen asleep, and we were lying on our sides facing each other. I wriggled out from under his arm as he slowly sat up. I walked over to the door and unlocked it, letting in a furious-looking Rosalie.

"Thank God. I was about to call Charlie to come break down the damn door. What happened anyway? You're never late for anything…" she tapered off as she eyed a sleepy-looking Edward sitting on my couch, running his hands through his hair. He waved pathetically.

Rosalie slowly turned her head towards me, cocking an eyebrow. "What the hell is this? Don't tell me you had sex with him already."

"Rosalie Hale, that is none of your business!" I yelled, embarrassed.

"Oh, my God, you did! What's wrong with you?" She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at me.

"We didn't, ok. We barely even talked. We just fell asleep. Not that I owe you an explanation." I walked over to the couch and sat down beside Edward who was leaning back. He had his hands in his lap and was glancing between me and Rose.

Rosalie stood, hands on hips, glaring into my eyes. "We have yoga in five minutes. Get your ass ready."

"Whaaat?" I whined, jumping up and running over to the stairs.

"I'll be in the car!" she yelled. The next minute I heard the front door slam. I ran straight to my bedroom and pulled my hair into a ponytail as I searched around the room, gathering my workout clothes. I noticed Edward standing in the doorway, leaning against the frame, watching me.

"Yoga?" he asked with a yawn.

"Yeah, keeps me limber," I said as I located my yoga pants.

"That's something I wouldn't mind seeing," he yelled after me as I ran to the bathroom to change. I rolled my eyes.

"I don't think so," I replied, coming out of the bathroom and sitting on the edge of the bed, where I pulled on my shoes.

He chuckled from the door, otherwise remaining quiet.

"She'd castrate you," I said, motioning with my finger downstairs.

"She's nosy, isn't she?"

I paused tying my laces and looked at him. "She was there for me," I whispered.

He nodded his head. "Well, I guess I can add her to my list of people I need to apologize to."

"She'll forgive you because I did. Just focus on impressing my dad for now. That's going to be your biggest challenge."

"You forgive me?" he asked. I hadn't realized I'd said that until he pointed it out to me.

"You know I do," I sighed. "But I haven't forgotten. I still need time."

"I know, Bella. I'll be patient with you. Give you space, if that's what you want. I can't lie, though: having you in my arms last night was really nice."

"It was," I agreed, walking over to him and placing my hands on his forearms that were crossed over his chest.

"I have to go," I said and dropped my hands. I walked around him and down the stairs. We left the house together, me walking to Rose's car and him going across the lawn.

"Explain yourself," Rose demanded.

"I know, I know," I whined, sounding like a bothered teenager.

"You didn't have sex with him?"

"You'd know if I did, Rose. I'm not ready for that. Even if it has been five years."

"It's sad neither of us has gotten any in five years."

"We're not sluts, Rosalie. It's not sad."

I was too sleepy to really focus during yoga. And my body ached from sleeping on the couch in an awkward position all night.

Later that morning, I sat at the bar at the diner with my head resting on my folded arms. "What's your problem?" my dad asked as he sat beside me. I just grunted.

"When did your boyfriend finally go home?" Charlie questioned, taking a bite of his eggs.

"He didn't," Rosalie said from behind the counter. She'd gone straight to work after cleaning up after class.

"ROSE!" I yelled as my dad's fork clanked against his plate.

"That better be a lie," he fumed, pointing a finger at Rosalie. She smirked and walked away, leaving me alone with him. _Where was everyone else when I needed them?_ It was probably good no one else had arrived, actually. They'd all be yelling at me, too.

"Dad, please back off."

"I'll do no such thing."

"You'll not do what?" mother asked as she walked up to us and sat down. He just shook his head.

"Edward," I said in reply, and she nodded, not needing more explanation.

"Are you still mad at me?" she asked.

"I suppose not. I still can't believe you took his side, though."

"I wasn't taking his side, Isabella. I just wanted the two of you to talk."

"Well, we did talk. A lot."

"Are you getting back together?" she asked kindly. My dad stared straight ahead, arms crossed, the conversation making him angrier by the second.

"No, mom. We're taking things slow."

Charlie shook his head before throwing some money onto the counter and marching towards the door. He pulled it open just as Edward was walking in. They stood, staring at one another - Edward terrified, and my dad lethal - before Alice walked in around them, breaking the eye contact. Dad stomped off towards his police cruiser as Edward walked towards me, sitting in the stool Angela usually preoccupied. Alice sat in Charlie's vacant seat.

"Where are Ben and Ange?" I asked, looking around just as Rosalie rejoined us.

"What the hell is this?" she asked, holding up the $5 my dad had left on the counter.

"Charlie's having a bad morning," mom said, taking the money from Rosalie and pocketing it. Rose never allowed us to pay. My parents were like her own.

"Angela said she had a doctor's appointment this morning before school," Alice answered my question as though she'd always been a part of the group.

"I thought that was tomorrow," I said.

"Her doctor rescheduled last minute. She called me this morning and said she may be late for the meeting," Alice said, and I was a little put off that Angela hadn't called me instead. I guess it made sense, though, since Alice was her stand-in.

"What do you want?" Rosalie asked Edward rudely and shot him a dirty look.

"Umm, scrambled eggs and toast, please," he requested kindly, and Alice ordered the same.

Rosalie took my and my dad's empty plates from the bar before walking away.

"I really need to go get ready for work," I said, stretching my hands over my head.

I bid my goodbyes to everyone and walked to my truck; I'd driven myself after Rosalie had dropped me off at home earlier that morning. Edward was behind me, and I could feel everyone's eyes on us, watching.

"Have dinner with me tonight?" Edward asked.

"Have dinner with _me_," I challenged, and added, "I'll cook for you."

"You don't have to."

"I want to. I like to cook, in case you forgot."

"I didn't forget," he added, grinning.

"Come over when you get off work," I said before climbing into the truck.

I hurried home, dressing and showering quickly, before driving to the school. I met Jasper in the parking lot and we walked in together. We sat with Alice in the cafeteria, where the meeting was being held. She saved Angela a seat beside her, and the three of us chatted about nothing in particular as we waited for Principal Banner to start.

The more time I spent with her, the more Alice seemed like an old friend. She didn't judge me or argue with me about her brother. I hoped that in time, we'd be able to form some kind of real friendship.

I thought about her brother as she talked to Jasper animatedly about something funny she'd done at the grocery store. I wasn't really paying attention. Jasper held on to every word she said as if they were a matter of life and death. He had a crush, it was apparent.

I wished the day to hurry up and end so I could spend my evening with Edward. It may have been ridiculous for me to let him back into my life so quickly, but when you love someone and go as long as I did without seeing him, telling him to back off is almost impossible to do.

I smiled at Alice and Jasper and nodded my head as if I were listening, but really my thoughts were several miles down the road at the clinic, where Edward was. I missed him already and couldn't wait for things to improve with us.

**A/N: Review…come on, you know you want to.**


	7. One Giant Leap Back

**A/N: First off, thank you so very much to everyone who reviewed. I am sorry if I did not reply. It was one crazy weekend for me and I just didn't have much time. My house was full of guest for my daughter's birthday party and when they all finally left I passed out on the couch. And then I spent all day yesterday cleaning up the house from the party. It was a disaster.**

**So "Innocent" has been recommended for story of the week over at The Lemonade Stand. If you haven't already, please head on over there and vote for my story. Thank you to everyone who has already and a MAJOR thank you to everyone who recommended "Innocent." I sincerely appreciate all the love you all are sending my way.**

**Ok, I know you are all just a little confused by Bella's behavior. But let's all be honest here: girls hardly make sense when it comes to the heart. I know I don't. I hope this chapter makes you all feel a little better. **

**And try not to hate on Edward too much. He really is a good guy. You'll see later on. **

**Also, it was brought to my attention that I made it sound like Bella knew about her pregnancy before she and Edward broke up. I went back and fixed that as well as a few grammatical errors I made. Bella did not know she was pregnant before the breakup. She found out the night she miscarried. **

**Thank you to those that helped me in finding and fixing my errors. I am in search of a beta so if you are one or know of one that would like to beta this story, please let me know.**

**Remember, italicized words are memories of before the breakup.**

**Ok, on with the story.**

**Ch. 7 – One Giant Leap Back**

_"That's fine," Edward snapped._

_"Will it be for one night, sir?" The desk clerk quietly asked. Fear evident in her voice._

_"It fucking better be."_

_The clerk's eyes widened as she typed something in to her computer._

_"Edward, please calm down. This isn't her fault," I pleaded, tugging on his arm. He looked at me, his bicep tight beneath my hand. He sighed heavily and I felt his body relax somewhat. "I know that," he whispered. That would be the closest thing to an apology the clerk would get._

_"It comes to $43.98 sir," the clerk said._

_Edward chuckled humorlessly as he dug his wallet from his back pocket. "$43 dollars for a motel room. I should be fucking ashamed to even bring you here," he gestured towards me as he slammed his credit card down on the desk._

_"It's fine. I've stayed in worse before. Plus everyone else was booked. Don't worry about it. Please." I spoke in the most soothing voice I could muster. The clerk handed Edward the room key and left the desk before Edward could lash out at her again._

_"Why the hell are all the hotels in Seattle booked up tonight? And why the hell have you stayed in shit holes like this before?" Edward shouted at me as we walked out the front door and down the sidewalk towards our room._

_"If you want me to answer that, you better change that tone of yours. This isn't my fault either." I yanked the room key from his hand and stalked passed him. The key read 'Room 12'. I stopped at the correct door and jammed the key into the lock._

_"Alright, I'm sorry. This just sucks." Edward attempted to speak calmly as we walked into the room._

_"Two beds? Are you serious? I'm not sleeping without you." _

_"You might, if you don't be nice," I warned him as I tossed the small bag I managed to pack for us onto one of the full sized beds occupying the room._

_Edward sat down on the edge of the other bed and I wandered over to him and stood between his legs._

_"How exactly did our apartment building catch fire anyway?" he asked, quieter now as he skimmed his hands up my legs and rested them on my hips. _

_"Who know? Somebody was probably using one of those deep fryers. I heard those are dangerous." I ran my hand down the expensive black tie he was wearing as I spoke. He gently lay back, bringing me along with him. I pressed my body against his as our lips met. He kissed me passionately before I pulled away. I stood over him, my feet on either side of his body, and reached behind me, unzipping the dark blue evening gown I was wearing._

_"You never answered my question," he reminded, as he set up on his elbows to watch me._

_"My mom had this grand idea to tour the entire U.S. the summer after I graduated high school. The three of us stayed in motels to save money. Some were really gross. It was fun though." My dress slid down my body as I reached for the clasp on my bra. _

_Edward smirked at my movements as he spoke. "That sounds horrible. Me and some of my college buddies drove from California to New York one summer. We always stayed in the most expensive hotels we could find."_

_"Are all your friends spoiled little trust fund babies, or is that just you?" I accused and sat down, straddling him._

_He lay his head back, laughing at me. "We all were baby. And you forgot something?" He ran his hands over my backside, gesturing to my underwear. In one swift movement he flipped me over on my back. I squealed loudly and he bent to kiss me quickly, shushing me. _

_"Were?" I asked._

_"Oh yea, I guess I still am." He smiled crookedly at me as he quickly did away with my underwear and flipped us back over until I was atop him once more. "You love that about me though," he said and winked._

_The smile quickly fell from my face and I crossed my arms over my chest, covering myself. _

_"What?" he asked, perplexed._

_"You know I don't care about that, Edward. Why would you say that?" I asked softly, offended._

_His mouth opened a small bit as his eyebrows creased. He didn't realize what he'd just suggested. His wealth was always a sore subject for us. I always feared he'd think I was with him for the money. _

_"I didn't mean that, love, I promise," he tried to take it back as he pulled at my arms. I dropped them to my sides and he hugged me to him. "I just meant you love the spoiled part. Makes me a challenging bastard. I know you love a good challenge," he added, nuzzling my neck._

_I giggled at his word. "That's true," I admitted. _

_He trailed kisses down my neck, across my collar bone and in between my breast. I sighed happily as his lips found my right nipple. We spent the rest of the night in udder bliss, the fire and our conversation having no affect on us whatsoever._

I sat on my front porch swing, coffee mug in hand, legs crossed under me, and focused my eyes on the house across the street. The memory of mine and Edward's apartment building being evacuated once due to an irresponsible tenant several floors above us was weighing heavily on my thoughts today.

There was nothing special or out of the ordinary about the house across the street. It was a one story, brick house with no garage or fancy landscaping. It was odd to me that Edward was happy living in such common quarters. Throwing a fit from having to stay one night at a Holiday Inn wasn't the first tantrum I'd seen.

_"What is this?" Edward asked, holding up the red bucket._

_"KFC baby," I said happily. _

_"KFC?" _

_"Oh my gosh, are you seriously telling me you've never had Kentucky Fried Chicken?" I was floored._

_He shook his head as he eyed the bucket suspiciously."I'm not sure I like the idea of eating food out of a cardboard bucket." He turned his nose up and sat the bucket back on the kitchen counter._

_"Oh, I am so sorry sir. Let me see if I can find a silver platter to serve you on," I yelled over my shoulder as I pulled two plates out of the cupboard. I felt his hands glide around my waist. _

_"Are we really eating that stuff?" Fear laced his every word. _

_"You're gonna love it," I promised, wiggling out of his arms and walking over to the food in question. I placed chicken, mashed potatoes, and biscuits on each of our plates and carried them to the living room. I sat them both down on the large, leather ottoman before grabbing two large throw pillows from the couch and tossing them down too. I sat down on one, and patted the other, gesturing for him to join me. When he did so, I smiled brightly at him. _

_I formed his first bite for him that consisted of a little bit of everything on his plate. I brought the fork towards his mouth and he leaned backwards, away from me. "I don't know," he said, weary. _

_"Try it," I demanded, moving the fork towards him once more. He huffed and opened his mouth, taking the bite. I watched as he chewed and swallowed before a tiny smile formed on his lips. He liked it._

_"Oh, baby, the things I can teach you," I said deviously, causing him to roar with laughter._

Specifics about the Edward I was reacquainting myself with were starting to sprout up in my mind, making me realize I had no idea what he'd been up to these last five years. His car was the biggest change; he'd loved his Aston Martin. It brought him a great deal of pleasure to cruise us around town with the top down. He loved the looks we'd receive from passersby.

The car wasn't the only noticeable difference however. I've seen him eat at the diner now twice without scrunching up his nose in disgust. And his clothes were different, as I had pointed out before. They didn't look designer, although I really wasn't that up to date with fashion, especially mens.

I thought back to the day of our break up, how Edward has accused me of robbing him blind. We'd been dating for almost six months before I realized just how rich Edward actually was. I was sitting at the island in the kitchen at the apartment, eating a bowl of cereal one morning, when Edward came in from a long night at the hospital, and sat down across from me as he deposited a pile of mail on the counter. I didn't mean to pry, but the top piece of mail was his bank statement. He'd already opened it and his balance was staring me in the face. He had almost $3 million in his account; and I knew that wasn't his only account either.

Before I could look away, he caught me staring, causing my cheeks to burn bright red. We had our first fight that morning.

_I turned away from him and grabbed my bowl of uneaten cereal, and walked over to the sink, where I washed it down the garbage disposal. I let the bowl and spoon drop into the empty sink, causing a loud clinking noise. I leaned my back against the sink, my arms crossed over my chest as I glared at him._

_"What?" he snapped at me, clearly unhappy about my accidental snooping._

_"How could you not tell me about this?" I asked, gesturing towards the pile of mail._

_"It's just money, Bella. You knew I was rich."_

_"There is a difference in being rich and being a millionaire, Edward. Don't you think this is something you should have shared with someone who you were just discussing marriage plans with not two days ago?" I yelled, my anger getting the best of me._

_"I thought you didn't care about shit like that," he spat at me, his jaw tightening._

_"I don't care about the money. I care that you felt you couldn't trust me enough to tell me. I couldn't care less about your checking account balance. What I do care about is that you sit here and act like you share your whole world with me, but really, you're keeping secrets from me."_

_"Oh come on. You're overreacting," he yelled, standing from his seat and grabbing the paper. He marched up to me and jammed it at my folded arms. "Here. Look at it. You can see every penny I've spent so you'll know I'm not keeping secrets from you."_

_I pushed away from him, the paper falling to the ground. I walked over to the door and grabbed my purse off the hook hanging on the wall. "How dare you," I yelled before slamming the door behind me and running to the elevator. _

_I was almost to my car in the parking garage when Edward caught up to me. _

_"Bella," he yelled behind me. I quickened my pace, wanting to be away from him. He caught up to me as I was fishing my keys out of my purse. "I'm so sorry baby," he cooed. I closed my eyes as tears began to form behind the lids._

_"Please look at me," he begged from behind me, his lips at my ear. I slowly turned around, but couldn't meet his eyes. _

_"I can't believe you did that to me," I whispered. _

_"I didn't mean it, I swear. You know I trust you. It's just, my entire life people have judged me because of my money. You're the first person I've ever been close to that didn't care about all that. I was afraid if you knew just how much my family was worth it would change how you thought of me."_

_"I've never cared about wealth before. It's not who I am. I thought you knew that."_

_"I do know that, Bella. But money warps even the most innocent of minds. I've seen it happen all my life. It changes people. It was a shitty thing of me to do, and I swear I am so sorry. Please, let's not fight. I can't stand you being mad at me."_

_I finally glanced up at him just as the tears began to slowly leak out, falling freely down my cheeks. "No, baby, no. Please don't cry," he soothed, wiping the tears from my face. He leaned in and ever so slowly kissed first my eyelids, then my cheeks before capturing my mouth with his. _

_That was the first time I made love in the backseat of a car. _

I buried my head in my hands as a hysterical bit of laughter escaped from me. I couldn't believe we'd done that. We could have been caught and arrested. I couldn't imagine explaining that to my father. And that wasn't the last time we did it either.

I tossed the remainder of my now cold coffee off the porch and headed inside. It was nearly 4 o'clock in the afternoon. I'd abandoned my preparations in my classroom around lunchtime out of boredom and came home. The meeting lasted only 15 minutes, causing most of the staff to complain of it being a waste of their time. And for the most part they were right. All the principal did was announce the new addition to our staff, Alice and announce that I'd be taking over the yearbook advisory position. I had agreed to it just a week before Edward had showed up in town. It was an extra step in my moving-on-with-my-life process.

I placed my empty coffee mug in the sink before walking out my back door and towards the garden. The cool, wet leaves from the vegetable plants brushed against my naked legs as I wandered between the rows of plants, picking tomatoes and corn and other vegetables for dinner. The rows of corn were taller than me now, and tickled at my neck. I held up the hem of my dress, creating a basket for my picked goods, and placing items in it ever so often.

When I thought I had collected enough, I made my way back inside the house and dropped off the vegetables in the side of my sink that was still empty before wandering upstairs to my bedroom. The moment I entered the room, I began undressing, creating a path with my discarded garments as I walked towards my bathroom. I turned on the bath faucets, a thick flow of hot water pouring into the tub, as clouds of steam filled the room. The clinic didn't close until 5:30 and I knew from Ben working there that the staff never left before 6:00. I had time for a soak before Edward arrived for dinner.

My breathing hitched as I stepped into the hot liquid. I lowered myself in, the water reaching up to my breasts as I lay back. I reached behind me and turned the faucets off before water could begin spilling over the edges.

I rested my head back on the inflated pillow suctioned to the tub and closed my eyes. I inhaled through my nose as scents from the freesia bubble bath I'd used infiltrated the air around me.

I wasn't aware of how long I'd been in the tub until I heard a pounding on the door downstairs. I jolted awake, splashing water onto the floor. My skin was covered in chill bumps from the water that had grown frigid during my impromptu nap.

"Shit," I cursed aloud, standing quickly and pulling the plug from the bath. I yanked my purple bath robe off its hook on the back of the door and pulled it on, tying the belt around my waist quickly. I barely noticed the clock on my nightstand that read 6:15 p.m. as I hurried through my room and towards the stairs. I pulled the elastic band from my hair as I descended the stairs, loose, auburn curls flowing down my back.

"I fell asleep," I explained as I opened the door to find a patient looking Edward staring down at me.

"It's ok," he said as he slid past me into the living room.

"I'll just be a minute," I said before bouncing back up the stairs to my room. I ran to my closet and pulled the first acceptable dress I could find off its hanger. I slipped on the red fabric before walking slowly back down the stairs, this time a bit more ladylike.

Edward was nowhere in sight as I entered the living room. I could view the kitchen from where I stood and could see he was not in there either. I walked down the hallway towards my office where I could see light flooding out from beneath the partially closed door.

"There you are," I said as I pushed the door open. He was standing at the shelf full of framed pictures. He was staring at one in particular and I joined him so I could get a better look.

"Tuscany," I said in reference to the photo. "Lidia rented a villa for the two of us that summer. This photo was taken two years ago."

"You look tan," he noticed.

"I got so sunburned that year. It was awful."

Edward smiled at the photo before stepping away. "I'm sorry if I'm here early. I thought we'd agreed on me coming over after work. I thought to call before I came over but then I remembered I didn't have your number."

"You're not early. I just lost track of time. I haven't started dinner yet, but it shouldn't take too long to cook up something. Do you mind the wait?"

"No, of course not. I wanted to spend the evening with you anyway Bella."

I nodded my head at him and smiled before stepping away from him towards the hallway. "Come on then," I said and he followed me out.

"I just realized today that I have no idea what you've been up to the past few years." I stood at the counter, chopping vegetables and throwing them into a skillet, as I spoke.

An uncomfortable look passed over Edward's face before he could hide it. I pretended not to notice it as he spoke. "Mostly just work. My father was able to get me on staff at the hospital in Chicago where he worked. I worked the ER up until a year ago."

"So, that's it? Just work?" I didn't look at him, but focused on my task instead.

He was quiet and I knew what he wasn't saying. Of course he must have dated. Women were always so taken with Edward Cullen..

"I started seeing someone a couple years after I got to Chicago," he whispered. My body ached from the sharp pain his words inflicted and I had to turn my back to him to keep him from reading my thoughts, no doubt, etched across my face. I busied myself at the stove, stirring the sautéing vegetables.

"I assumed you would. What happened with her? Were you together long?" I asked, pretending to be interested.

"Do you really want to talk about this Bella?" he asked uncomfortably from the table behind me.

"I want to know," I replied, never turning around.

"She started talking about marriage so I ended things. I wasn't in love with her. I…I just wanted to forget. I never meant for it to go so far."

"How long did you date her?"

"I broke it off when I decided to move back to Washington."

I sucked in a large breath before turning around, my blood boiling from the anger now coursing through me.

"You mean to tell me you were together over half the time you were away?"

"I'm sorr…"

"Get out!" I shouted, pointing the wooden spoon in my hand at him. "Get the hell out of my house!"

He started shaking his head back and forth. "Bella, please, it's not how it seems. I swear. I was hurting and…"

I threw the spoon at him and he ducked, shielding his head with his hands as the spoon hit his forearms.

"Don't you fucking dare tell me how you were hurting. You have NO IDEA how badly I was hurting. Get out of my house damnit. Now. Or so help me God I will call my father." I was breathing heavy, my chest heaving, as he slowly stood from his chair and walked out of the kitchen. I placed my hands on the counter to steady myself as I heard the soft click of the front door closing.

When my breathing had slowed enough that I could speak clearly, I reached over to the phone hanging on the wall and dialed the first number I could think of.

"I need a drink," I hissed into the phone.

"I'll be right there," her voice trailed through the phone and I hung up. Minutes later Rosalie's car pulled into my driveway and I walked towards it before she could even get out.

"Where to?" she asked as I climbed into the passenger seat.

"Port Angeles."

I told Rosalie everything as she drove. By the time we reached the city she was seething mad.

"You've been way too nice to him, Bella. He deserves a swift kick in the ass."

"You're right. I've gone way easier on him than he deserved. I had this demented idea in my head that all would be ok. But there's just no way. I can't believe he moved on so fast. That bastard. I hate him right now."

Rosalie pulled up to the first bar we came to. We took a seat in the back and ordered margaritas the second we sat down. By the time I had finished my third one, I was feeling really good and all I could think about was getting back at Edward.

Rosalie and I twirled around the dance floor, as 80s music blasted from the speakers above. She abandoned me at one point, complaining about a foot cramp and sat back down. I continued to sway to the music, my hips moving back and forth and my arms waving over my head. As it was a Monday night and I wasn't exactly at a dance club, I was the only one on the floor.

"You're having way too much fun," a voice called out to me and I turned to see Demetri, Forks High's football coach, sitting at the bar with some guy I'd never seen before. I smiled widely at them both.

"Celebrating my new gig at school," I said to him and he laughed.

"I can see that," he said. I glanced over at Rosalie, but she was busy talking to some guy and wasn't paying me any attention.

"Dance with me," I said to him, holding out my hands. He took them and I pulled him onto the dance floor. I began moving my hips back and forth once more as his hands came to rest on them and he attempted to move us in time to the beat of the music.

"You're drunk," he accused happily and I nodded in agreement.

"And you're not," I shot back as I moved my face close enough to his to smell his breath. He smelled of soda.

"Designated driver," he said with a wink.

"Ah, that's too bad."

"Nah, it's ok. Looks like it's a good idea I am. You and your friend are going to need a ride home tonight."

"No, Rosalie isn't drunk. She only had one drink and that was hours ago."

Demetri just smiled and continued to keep me on my feet as we danced. We remained on the dance floor for a good thirty minutes before we sat down at the bar where he'd been with his friend earlier. The effects of the liquor were slowly starting to dwindle.

"I'm sorry you had to see me like this," I apologized to him.

"It's cool. It's kind of nice to see you unwind. I didn't know this side of you existed."

Neither did I, I thought. I kept that to myself though. I just smiled in response.

Rosalie sauntered up to me, smiling, a twinkle in her eyes. "I'll be right back, Demetri," I said and slid off my stool to meet her halfway.

"You see that guy over there?" she asked, pointing with her head towards our table from earlier.

"Yea? What about him?"

"I'm going to sleep with him," she said matter of factly.

"No, Rose. You don't even know him."

"Here," she said, jamming a piece of paper into my hand. "That's his cell number. I've already called it to make sure he wasn't lying when he gave it to me. I'm going to follow him back to his place. Ask Demetri to take you home. You should invite him to stay."

"Are you sure about this guy? I mean, he could be a rapist or something."

"He's a fireman," she said proudly.

"Yea right. Firemen are never actually that hot."

"I saw his badge. He's not lying. And you and I have to move on Bella. We have to. That dick of an ex of yours just proved it to us. So, that's what we're gonna do. Tonight. Move on. Both of us."

She was right and I knew it. "If I don't hear from you in the morning, I'm calling the FBI."

"Fine. I'll call as soon as I wake up. Have fun," she said wiggling her eyebrows at me before turning back around. She walked back to the tall man with extremely muscular arms sitting at her table, waiting. He smiled at her as she leaned over him and whispered something. I turned back to Demetri.

"Can you give me a ride home?" I asked politely as I took my seat beside him once again.

"Yea, no problem. We were fixing to call it a night anyway," he said, motioning to his friend.

The ride back to Forks was odd. Demetri's friend, who I learned was named Alec, sat in the backseat where he complained about his girlfriend the entire time. He talked as if we'd been friends our entire lives. I just sat, silently, and was only too happy when we dropped him off at his house. When Demetri pulled into my driveway my heart began beating fast as I turned towards him, reaching for the key in the ignition and turned it off.

"Stay with me tonight," I whispered.

"Ok," he agreed and got out of the car. I followed him up the steps of my porch and grabbed his hand as I opened my door. I pulled him inside with me, my mind made up that this was the only way for Edward to feel just a fraction of the pain he'd caused me.

**A/N: Review time! Let me know what you think and how you're feeling.**


	8. A Different Direction

**A/N: Wow, you guys are tough on Bella. Poor girl. I must confess, that you'd probably all pull your hair out if you knew me. I am just as indecisive as this Bella. I can't help it. **

**Anyway, thank you all for reviewing. I wanted to get another update out today and hopefully another tomorrow as I won't be able to update nearly as much once I go back to work next week.**

**Here ya go! Remember that this story is still building, and has a long way to go. I'm just getting started. Things will be revealed in good time.**

**Ch. 8 – A Different Direction**

"Do you want something to drink?" I offered before switching on a lamp in the living room. The space around us was filled with dim light as Demetri walked over to the couch and sat down.

"I'm good. Come sit down with me." He patted the space next to him and I obliged, kicking my shoes off on the way over. I smiled warmly at him as I took a seat. He returned the smile and reached over, tucking my hair behind my ear.

"I have a confession to make," he said shyly.

"What's that?"

"I've had a little crush on you for awhile now. I didn't think you dated though so I just kept my distance."

I felt the blush creep up my cheeks at his admission. "I date," I lied, "just not often. I guess I can be picky."

"There's nothing wrong with knowing what you want," he said.

"No there's not." But then again, I didn't really know what I wanted. I felt comfortable with Demetri though. Something that I wasn't sure I'd feel once he was inside my house. I toyed with the hem of his dark green button down shirt, wanting some sort of physical contact with him. "This color looks nice on you," I complimented.

"Thank you," he whispered, scooting closer to me. I looked up at his face as he did so, our eyes locking on one another's. I pulled my bottom lip between my teeth instinctually, just as he began to lower his face towards mine. His lips met my mouth, chastely kissing me. He brought one hand up to cup my cheek and I inhaled loudly through my nose as his touch caused something long forgotten to stir in the pit of my stomach. I wrapped both my hands around his neck, pulling him closer to me, as I deepened the kiss.

Our lips parted, tongues dancing together, and he let out a low moan. My insides twisted and I felt warmth spread throughout my body, the sensations much more enjoyable than I remembered. Before I could lose the nerve, I pushed against Demetri, causing him to sit back on the couch. I crawled up on his lap, straddling him and continued kissing him mouth. His hands held tightly onto my hips as I slowly began moving against him. I couldn't help the sounds that escaped my throat at the feel of him beneath me.

"That feels good," I panted as I moved from his mouth, needing air.

"Mmmm," he let out as his mouth kissed along my jaw. I ran my hands up and down his chest several times before stopping on the top button of his shirt. I was quick in my movements, releasing each button from its hole before tugging at his shirt. He let go of me long enough to throw it to the opposite end of the couch.

I smiled down at him and he returned the gesture before reaching for the hem of my dress. I held my hands above me and lifted my butt just enough for him to pull it out from under me. He lifted the dress off me in one swift movement, leaving me in nothing but my bra and panties. Thankfully, I was wearing a matching black set.

"Damn, your sexy," he breathed as he moved his head back to my neck. He reached one hand to my chest, cupping my left breast as his other hand went back to my hips, encouraging me to move against him once more.

"Let's go upstairs," I told him and we stood hurriedly from the couch. I took his hand and led the way to my bedroom. Once inside, we moved quickly, doing away with first his jeans, then my bra. Before I knew it, he was pushing me onto my back on the bed and I was pulling him to me. I tilted my hips up to meet his, eliciting sounds from both of us. We kissed hungrily as my breath picked up. I knew it wouldn't take much for me to get off, it had been so long since anyone other than myself had touched me. I shocked myself at how much I wanted this. Not as revenge anymore, just out of pure pleasure and want. My body screamed for this.

"Do you have a condom?" he asked breathlessly in my ear. What? Shit.

"No…" I said, realizing that if he didn't have one, we were in trouble. I hadn't been on birth control in years. "You don't have one?" I asked, as I pushed at his chest. He sighed loudly and rolled off me, and ran his hand down his face. "Fuck," he huffed, exasperated.

I sat up too, desire being replaced with disappointment. A thought crossed my mind and I smiled, turning towards him and he eyed me suspiciously. "You look happier than you should right now," he said, chuckling.

"We can't have sex, but…" I started.

"But...I guess we can do other things…" he finished and I slowly nodded my head. He cocked an eyebrow at me, no doubt surprised by my boldness. I lay back down and removed my panties and tossed them to the ground. "Touch me," I said quietly, commanding.

"Damn," he said, eyeing me from head to toe before moving back on top of me. His mouth captured mine once more as his hands began to wander. I closed my eyes and arched my back as he kissed down my neck to my chest. I hissed as he pulled one of my nipples into his mouth. I hadn't felt like this is so long. I wanted him so badly and was inwardly cursing myself for not being more prepared.

"Demetri," I breathed just as one of his hands landed between my legs. His fingers worked me over, and I was lost. Sensations that I forgot existed took completely over as stars danced beneath my eyelids. I cried out, clutching onto his back. I came twice, back to back, before he slowed his movements. He slowly kissed back up to my face and along my jaw, giving me time to come down from the high. I eventually loosened my grip on him and rolled him over to his back.

I took a deep breath and kissed down his body and removed his boxers. I felt like I was in high school again. I was glad the lights were off in my room, because he might be offended at the grin that took over my face. I hadn't done this in so long. I wasn't sure I'd be any good.

The sounds coming from him told me I needn't worry though as I took him in my mouth. It didn't take him long at all, thankfully, making me feel better for coming so fast earlier.

"I can't believe we just did that," he laughed beside me and I couldn't help but giggle.

"I know," I said, smiling. I was so proud of myself at the moment. More so than he'd ever know. I couldn't wait to tell Rosalie what I'd done. She'd be so proud.

"Bella Swan, you've been holding out on me all this time," he accused, leaning over and tickling my sides. I laughed happily and carefree.

We lay in my bed for another hour or so, talking about this and that, nothing of importance. It was nice. Something I needed more than I realized. We laughed and joked, keeping it light and I was glad. He eventually left, neither of us making promises we would most likely not keep and I wandered back upstairs completely and utterly happy with myself.

I was glad we didn't have actual sex though. I would have regretted it. I never agreed with girls that used sex as a tool for revenge. I hated Edward, not myself. I was extremely impressed that not one thought of him crept into my mind during my extreme make-out session with Demetri.

When my alarm clock sounded at 5:30, I slapped at it, turning it off at once and grabbed my cell phone from my nightstand. I text my mom, telling her I was skipping breakfast before texting Rosalie.

**Bella 5:32 a.m.**

Are you dead? Should I contact the National Guard?

**Rosalie 5:37 a.m.**

If I'm dead, I died happy

**Bella 5:38 a.m.**

Slut

**Rosalie 5:39 a.m.**

I hope I'm not the only slut in this conversation…

**Bella 5:40 a.m.**

;0)

**Rosalie 5:41 a.m.**

I'm not sure what that means, but I think I'm gonna like it

**Bella 5:42 a.m.**

You'll be proud

So you're really ok?

**Rosalie 5:43 a.m.**

Girl I am more than ok. I plan to be more than ok at least

2 more times before I come home. Call ya later. Luv ya.

**Bella 5:44 a.m.**

K. Talk to ya soon. Luv ya back.

I chuckled to myself as I rolled out of bed. Just because I was skipping breakfast at the diner, didn't mean I wanted to skip my run too.

As my feet pounded against the pavement, I was overcome with happiness from mine and Rose's night last night. The Bella from a week ago wouldn't be giving co-workers blow jobs in her bed and skipping breakfast with her usual crew. I stopped abruptly, resting my hands on my knees to catch my breath and busted out laughing. I laughed until my sides hurt, but I kept going, unable to calm myself.

"Are you ok?" a voice asked, scaring me from my cackling and I screamed out. Edward stood before me, dressed in a grey t shirt and black basketball shorts. His hair was dripping with sweat.

"You," I yelled, pointing a finger at him with one hand and clutching at my heart with the other. "You scared me."

"Sorry. I, um, Bella, can we please tal…"

"No, no. I don't think so. No talking, Edward. No nothing."

He started to argue with me, but I stopped him before he could. "Look, you have GOT to give me some space. I know I overreacted last night, but it hurts to think of you with another girl. Even if you're not mine anymore."

"Bella, I…" he started, but I kept going. "I can't be around you right now Edward. You being here is really messing with my head. One minute, I want nothing to do with you, the next all I want is to rip your clothes off." He cocked an eyebrow at me and grinned. "Don't," I warned, backing away from him. "Just give me space, please. I can't clear my head with you always near me. Don't come to my house, don't come to the diner, just stay away. I'll come to you when I'm ready. If I'm ever ready."

I turned and ran away from him. I hoped he'd obey my wishes. I never thought I'd be turning him away from me. But I needed too. I needed to figure out what exactly I wanted from him. So much had happened between us. He was a different person now and so was I. I'd allowed the memory of him to keep me from living my life to its fullest.

Besides all of that, there was still so much to figure out about our past. Who had set me up? Why had Edward believed the lies so quickly? I may never get an answer to that first question and I wouldn't get an answer to the second without talking to him. And that just wasn't something I needed to do right now. I'd have to suck it up and keep my distance.

I didn't see Edward again as I finished my run. I briefly wondered, as I walked down Cherry St. towards my house, if he'd seen Demetri's car here last night. It didn't matter if he did. I didn't regret it.

Rosalie's car was parked in my driveway when I got home. She was sitting on the top step with a strange expression on her face. She looked up at me as I approached, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth.

"What?" I asked, sitting beside her, fear taking place of the happiness I had been feeling upon my return home.

'You're going to hate me," she stated. I could see her eyes watering as she spoke.

"Hey, just tell me what's wrong. I'm sure I won't hate you."

"I…ok, well…um…I…I may have slept with Edward's brother last night. And this morning, several times."

"Emmett? Are you sure?" I asked, confused because I hadn't heard mention of him and the last I heard he was in Los Angeles.

She nodded her head while she spoke. "This morning after our shower, I…"

"You showered with him?" I asked, surprised. Man, she had no problem at all moving on.

"Don't interrupt," she commanded. I rolled my eyes at her sassiness. "Anyway," she continued, "as I was coming out of his bathroom I saw a picture of him standing with Edward and Alice. I asked him how he knew them and he said they were siblings. I almost passed out. I am so sorry, Bella. I had no idea."

"You don't have to apologize, sweetie. I never dated Emmett. It's ok, I promise."

"You're sure?"

"Of course," I said, standing. "Come inside. I'm hungry. Have you eaten yet?"

"Nope," she said, following me inside. We sat on the back porch, eating french toast, as we went over our night with each other.

"He's huge, Bella. Oh my God, he's huge. All over."

"I didn't care to know that, Rose."

"Don't ask for details if you don't actually want them," she snapped.

"Fine, sheesh. So, are you going to see him again?"

"I don't know. Maybe? I'm just not sure," she said, wavering. "I had fun, but it wasn't meant to be anything more than sex. I wouldn't have slept with him had I known he was a Cullen. It just sounds like it could get complicated."

"Did you tell him that you knew Edward and Alice?" I asked, wondering if she'd mentioned me.

"Nah, I just told him I'd seen them around since I live in Forks too. He didn't question it, thankfully."

"Good."

"Will you see Demetri again? I mean, outside of work?"

I shrugged a shoulder. "We didn't exactly discuss that. I'll see him again, if he asks, but I'm not going to pursue anything with him. I'm not going to seek him out."

I stared out into the backyard, everything sparkling under the bright, morning sun. We were both silent, contemplative. We had both turned a new page in our lives. What would this mean for us? Good things, I hoped.

Rosalie left after breakfast, fearing the fate of the diner if left in Jacob's hands too long. I cleaned up our dishes then showered, before heading over to the school. I needed to finish up my classroom and get started on a few other projects I had in mind for the school year.

It was Saturday before I noticed I hadn't seen Edward all week. He made good at keeping his distance, giving me the space I'd asked for.

I was sitting in my usual spot at the bar at the diner, moving things around my breakfast plate with my fork, not really in the mood to eat. I'd had a stomach ache since last night and the thought of eating was just making it worse. I yawned widely, getting a chuckle from my dad, who was sitting beside me, reading the morning paper. "You need school clothes," my mom stated from his other side. "Let's go to Port Angeles today and shop. Please?" she begged, clasping her hands in front of her and sticking out her bottom lip, pouting.

"Fine mother," I relented. I wasn't really in the mood to go, but I had to appease her at some point. In fact, I hadn't been in the mood to do much this morning. I didn't have the energy to run and I'd hit snooze so many times that I was nearly late for breakfast. I yawned again before getting off the stool. "Let's go now," I said, stretching my arms over my head.

"Late night or something?" Rose asked, gathering our breakfast plates.

"No, actually I went to bed early last night. I was exhausted. Maybe I got too much sleep?" I questioned, not sure that was even possible. Rosalie just shrugged before turning her back and walking to the kitchen.

Mom kissed dad goodbye and we both piled into the truck. Mom talked most of the way to Port Angeles. I threw in an "oh," here and an "ok, sure" there, but really, I was too tired to really put much effort into the conversations. My head was beginning to hurt and I wanted nothing more than to crawl back in bed.

When we arrived at the mall, my head was throbbing. My mother was out of the truck and walking around to my side before I could even get my seatbelt off. I stretched again as I finally stood beside her. "What is the matter with you?" she asked, pointing out my slow movements.

"I don't know. My whole body aches," I complained, noticing how stiff my joints were. Surely, this wasn't from missing one day worth of running.

"I hope you don't have the flu," she said, reaching towards me with one hand to feel of my forehead.

"Uh, mom, stop," I groaned, moving away from her.

"What? Too old for your mommy now?"

"Yes, actually, I am. Can we please just get this over with?" I asked, motioning towards the mall entrance.

"Well, excuse me. If you didn't want to come, why did you agree to it?"

"I do want to be here mom, I'm just tired. I'm sorry. Let's go," I said, trying to sound more chipper than I had.

Once inside, we shopped for everything but new clothes for work. We stopped at Victoria's Secret first where we both tried on several sexy ensembles. I tried very hard to ignore the fact that my mother was trying on lingerie that she would later model for my dad. I cringed at the thought.

"What do you think?" I asked from my dressing room. I peeked around the curtain to make sure no men were around before stepping out. I had on a red and black number, with a matching silk robe.

"Ooohh, very sexy," she gushed, before adding, "Those dark circles under your eyes match perfectly."

"Sarcasm doesn't really suit you, mother," I huffed before slumping back to my dressing room. I pulled my jeans and blouse back on and slipped the thin, silk material I'd been wearing back on the hanger before exiting.

"I'm going to go see if they have this in a different color," I yelled at her through the curtain she was hiding behind. I found my size in all black and swapped it for the one in my hand. I got in line to pay while I waited for my mom to join me.

"So, who exactly are you buying this for?" mother asked, her own hands full of several slinky pieces.

"This person I know. Very sexy. And good in bed." Her eyes widened before she asked, "Who is he?"

"It's a she actually," I said, gaining me another wild look from my mother.

"It's me, mom," I said before she had a heart attack, and turned to face to cashier in front of me. "I'm buying it for me."

"Not for Demetri?" she asked and I whipped my head around. "How do you know about that?"

She smiled and said, "Rosalie told me."

"I'm going to kick her ass," I proclaimed, slapping my money on the counter.

"She'll have these too," mom said, adding a pair of edible panties to my purchase.

"Mother!"

She laughed and shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't think so," I said, stopping the cashier before she could ring them up. We went to Bath and Body Works next, before making our way to Footlocker, where I bought a new pair of running shoes. We were standing in line at Macy's when I yawned again. I tugged at the long sleeves of the blouse I was wearing, tugging them over my cold hands.

"You look pale," mom noticed as she placed the new set of curtains she was purchasing up on the counter.

"I'm dizzy," I replied. "Maybe I should get something to eat. I didn't eat much at breakfast."

"Ok, food court next," she said, finishing up her transaction. I quickly paid for the blue dress I'd chosen, and we walked out, heading for the restaurants located at the other end of the mall.

"Do you want Chinese?" she asked as we approached the food court.

"No," I said, unsure of what I actually wanted. Nothing sounded good.

"Well, I want Chinese. I'll meet you at a table," she said, before leaving me alone to ponder over the many choices. I decided on a pretzel and Sprite. My stomach still felt woozy so I chose something with little to no flavor.

I chose a table close to the Chinese buffet and waited for mother to join me. "Is that all you're having?" she pointed, as she took her seat.

"I couldn't decide on anything else."

I took a bite of the pretzel and cringed at the soreness in my throat as the bite went down. I hoped I wasn't getting strep throat. I'd had it once as a child. It was horrible.

"Maybe we should go home after this," mother suggested and I nodded in agreement. I nibbled at the pretzel while mother talked about her sister.

"Lidia says she may come for a visit soon. She's curious about Edward."

"Mmm," I added as I pulled at the collar of my shirt. I was beginning to feel like I was suffocating in it.

"My goodness, Isabella!" mother exclaimed, getting up from her side of the table and walking over to me. She swatted my hand away from my collar and pulled the fabric aside. "I think you're having an allergic reaction to this material. You're covered in hives."

"What? No way!" I shouted, reaching into my purse and pulling out my compact. I flipped it open and peered into the mirror, angling it towards my neck. I gasped at the raised, reddened skin appearing beneath my shirt.

"We're going home right now," mother commanded, grabbing her bags and mine from the empty chairs at our table. When we made it to the truck I grabbed the hoodie I kept in the floorboard on the passenger side and placed it in my lap as I quickly pulled my shirt over my head, not caring if anyone was watching.

"My God!" mother gasped, staring at my skin.

"What the hell is this?" I yelled, terrified at the sight of my blotchy skin. I was completely covered in hives. "Something's wrong with me. This isn't an allergic reaction," I worried aloud, before putting the hoodie on and zipping it up.

"You need to go to the hospital," mother ordered as I started the truck and pulled out of the parking lot.

"Yea, you may be right. I'll go when we get back to Forks."

"I'll go with you."

I was silent as I drove, my head aching so badly now that I couldn't even add anything to my mother's ramblings. Half way home, I started having trouble seeing clearly and decided I was going to pull over at the first available spot and let her drive the rest of the way. I blinked several times, trying to clear my vision, hoping I'd be able to park somewhere safe. My body had begun to shake from the chills, no doubt coming from a fever. Maybe mother was right and I did have the flu. I didn't remember strep throat feeling like this.

"Isabella, pay attention," she said, grabbing the steering wheel and pulling us back into our lane. I didn't notice I had been swerving. "Pull over right up there," she said, pointing to a clear spot a few hundred yards ahead. But we never made it that far before I swerved completely off the road. The last thing I remembered was hearing my mother's screams before darkness completely consumed me.

** A/N: Yes, a cliffhanger. Don't judge. I love them. **

**Now, hit that review button!**


	9. Uncovered Secret

**A/N: I want to start off by saying thank you for your patience. As luck would have it, real life decided to step in and slow down the process of posting this chapter. But, I believe things are calming down a bit, and life is getting back to normal. **

**I want to give a HUGE THANK YOU to my beta, Lovemgoblue! You rock and I am so glad I found you! Thank you for making time for me. :0)**

**Also, THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed and favorited this story so far. You all inspire me to continue writing. Thank you, thank you and thank you!**

**As this is my first chapter with a beta, please remember my previous chapters have not been looked over by my beta. I do need to clarify one thing from a previous chapter: Bella did not know she was pregnant until after Edward left Seattle. **

**Many of you have asked if there will ever be an EPOV and the answer to that is, no, not in this story. If I ever do any outtakes, those will most likely be in EPOV. But I am not promising any outtakes. **

**Ok, I don't want to keep you from the chapter any longer. Please enjoy!**

**Ch. 9 – Uncovered Secret**

"How's your head?" my mother's voice asked, from somewhere far away.

"Mmm," I managed to croak out. My entire body felt like someone had run me over several times with my own truck. Everything hurt.

"Well, at least she's coherent now." My dad's voice sounded worried, just as far away as mom's. Nothing really made sense.

"Where am I?" I asked, each word burning my throat.

"You're in the hospital. We had a wreck. Do you remember?" Mom sounded closer now. I felt her hand brush across my cheek.

"I'm not sure." I remembered being at the mall and not feeling well. Everything else was a bit blurry.

"It's ok, sweetie. You just ran off the road. The truck is fine. But you're really sick. I shouldn't have let you drive." The guilt was evident in her voice.

"It's not your fault, Renee," I heard another voice say. A voice like silk. Edward was here with me, too.

His hand replaced my mom's on my cheek, his movements gentle against my warm skin. "Can you open your eyes?" he asked.

I did so, as painful as it was, and looked up into his green eyes. He wore a look of worry mixed with panic. "You're really sick, Bella." His furrowed his eyebrows as if confused by his own statement.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, remembering I'd told him to stay away.

"I'm the on-call doctor this weekend," he smiled crookedly at me, but the gesture didn't meet his eyes.

"What's wrong?" I asked, trying to reach for him, but something caught at my hand, stopping me.

"Try not to move too much. You've got an IV," dad said, moving closer to the left side of the bed, opposite where mom and Edward were standing.

"Bella, you've got a really high fever along with these hives on your skin. I've run some tests on you, but they've all come back clear. Can you think of any reason why you have these symptoms? Did you get into anything you may be allergic too?" This must be why Edward was acting strange: he didn't know the answers to these questions he was asking me.

"I don't think so. I don't think I'm allergic to anything." I looked at my mom, needing confirmation. That was something mothers were supposed to know. She shook her head, looking just as perplexed as Edward.

Edward ran a hand through his hair as he blew air from his mouth. "Ok," he began, "I don't want you moving from this bed without someone helping you. And then it's only ok if you need to go to the bathroom. I need you to rest. I can't really give you much medication until I know what it is I'm treating. We've already given you some Tylenol to try to reduce the fever. Just lie here and rest. I'll come back soon to check on you." He leaned down and chastely kissed my forehead, looking pained and saddened. Charlie huffed as Edward turned to leave.

"Unprofessional," my dad scoffed as Edward walked out of the room.

"Hush," mom scolded him.

She walked to the end of my bed, grabbing my chart and flipping pages over, reading its contents. And that's when it dawned on me. I tried to sit up.

"Mom?" I asked, panicking, "How far back does that chart go?"

She flipped to the very last page. "Since your birth. Why?"

I just stared at her, eyes wide and filling with tears. I understood now.

"He didn't know," I whispered.

"Didn't know what?" Charlie asked, as realization hit my mother and she clasped a hand to her mouth.

"He didn't know," I repeated, as the tears began to slowly drain from my eyes, staining my cheeks.

"Oh, sweetie, please don't cry," she begged, abandoning the chart as she rushed to my side. She placed a hip on the bed as she bent to hug me, cradling my head in her arms.

"What did I miss?" dad asked, still not understanding.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Charlie. The baby. He didn't know about the baby. I swear, men can be so dense sometimes," she declared, whispering the last part.

"Oh," was all he managed to say as he dragged a chair up to the side of the bed and sat down. The next thing I knew, I could hear low voices coming from the TV. I moved from my mother's arms and saw a baseball game carrying on across the screen. This was going to be a long night.

I fell asleep soon after, to the sounds of umpire calls and my mother's faint snores. I woke every 30 minutes or so, until Edward finally agreed to give me a low sedative to help me sleep. It did the trick and I didn't wake until early morning.

Rosalie had replaced my dad in the chair, and she was sleeping soundly beside me. My parents were nowhere in sight.

Rosalie looked extremely uncomfortable and I wondered how long she'd been there. My throat hurt too much to call out to her and I couldn't reach her with my hand so I gathered what little strength I had and picked up one of my pillows, tossing it at her.

"What the hell?" she gasped, as the pillow slapped her in the face before falling to her lap.

"Sorry," I wheezed.

"Don't talk; you sound like a 90 year old woman who's smoked her whole life. It's not attractive."

I stuck my middle finger up, gaining me a smile and a laugh from her. She scooted up closer to me and rested her head on the bed for a minute. "You can't die on me. Who will put me in my place if you do?" she asked, sounding serious.

"I'm not dying, Rosalie. I just feel like I am." She shot me a dirty look. "Edward's a good doctor. He'll figure it out."

"He's a mess, ya' know? Dark circles under his eyes. Doesn't know what the hell to do for you."

"I don't think that's why he's a mess. He read my chart. I think he must know about the baby."

"Shit. I didn't even think of that. How did he react?"

"I don't know. He hasn't mentioned it. But he's got to know by now. He'd have to."

"I'm so sorry, honey."

I shrugged my shoulders and looked away from her. "I need some water." I looked around the room, searching for a water pitcher.

"I'll go get some," she said, and hurried from the room. She returned moments later with Edward on her heels.

"How're you feeling? Did you get enough sleep?" He paused at my side and sat halfway on the bed, his feet resting on the floor. Without hesitating, he took my hand in his. His eyes were red and bloodshot. And Rosalie wasn't kidding about the dark circles. He'd been crying, I could tell.

I didn't know whether to feel anger towards him for not being there to go through this with me five years ago, or to feel sympathy for him. I yearned to touch him, either way, to hold him. I squeezed his hand. "I slept ok I guess. My head still hurts."

"The nurse will be in here soon to get your vitals. I can tell by looking at you, though, that you're still running a fever. Your skin is so red." He brushed his other hand across my forehead.

"So you don't have any clue what's wrong with me?"

"I thought it was the flu, but that test was clear. It's not strep throat or mono. It's something worse than a cold. With the hives, I feel like it must be an allergic reaction, but I'm not sure what it would be from, and I'm afraid to treat you for that in case I'm wrong. Dr. Cope, the other on-call doctor, can't figure it out either. I want to run some more tests though."

Edward didn't stay long, and soon after he left the nurse entered, taking my vitals, confirming I did have a fever. "Temp is 103.6. And your blood pressure is high." She took a blood sample, too, before leaving.

"Maybe you caught something funky from Demetri," Rosalie suggested quietly. I shot her the dirtiest look I could conjure. "Or maybe not," she said, cowering away and sitting back down.

"If I have an STD I will kill him. If it doesn't kill me first."

"It's not an STD, Bella. I was just joking. I didn't mean to worry you."

"What if it is?" I asked, horrified. How was I supposed to explain that to Edward? My parents? Demetri?

"Let Edward run these other tests. If they come back clear, too, then maybe you should consider telling him."

"Oh, my God," I groaned, burying my face in my hands.

"Knock, knock," a tiny voice chimed from the door. I turned to see Alice entering with a vase full of wild flowers in one hand and a bundle of balloons in the other.

"From Ben and Angela," she said, placing the gifts on a nearby table. "Ben didn't want them to come in case you were contagious. For the baby."

"Right," I said, trying to ignore the conversation Rose and I just had. I hoped Alice hadn't overheard.

"So, still feeling rotten?" Alice sat down in the same spot Edward had occupied earlier. Why did she always have to act like we were lifelong friends?

"Pretty much." I tried to smile at her as I answered.

"You must be really bored in here," she said, looking around and viewing the typical hospital room.

"Oh, it's been great," I droned sarcastically and she giggled.

"So, Jasper Hale asked me on a date. Is that ok? I mean, I don't want you to be mad at me." Alice's big eyes bore into mine, awaiting my answer.

"No, of course it's ok. He's just my friend. A good friend. Don't break his heart," I warned.

She shook her head and smiled brightly. "I would never."

"I knew he had a crush on you," I admitted.

"Really? What did he say? Tell me his exact words." Alice sat up straight as she spoke, excitement lacing her every word.

"He didn't say anything, actually. I could just tell by the way he looked at you."

"Oh, ok." She was thoughtful for a moment. "That's so sweet," she eventually cooed. Rosalie chuckled from the other side of the bed.

Alice didn't stay long and the nurse shooed away Rosalie when my parents returned. They stayed until I fell asleep once more, their visit much like the night before. I slept better that night, not waking as much nor needing a sedative. I did still wake several times though, one time finding Edward asleep, his head resting on the bed near my hand.

The bedside clock read 4:22 a.m. I knew his shift ended at midnight. Had he been there that long?

I slowly reached my hand towards him, running my hand through the copper mess of hair atop his head. It had been so long since I'd touched him this way. My heart clenched beneath my chest.

He stirred in his sleep, turning his head to look at me. "Hey, sleepy head." His lips pulled up on one side, giving me the lopsided grin I loved so much.

He lay there until the clock blinked 5:00 a.m., staring at me lovingly, before he spoke. "I'll wait, Bella. I'll wait for you. For the rest of my life if I have to." His words were mere whispers, but I heard him perfectly. "I promise. And I promise I'll do whatever I can to make it all up to you. Whatever that may be." I nodded in understanding, but remained silent. I wasn't sure what to say. He never mentioned the baby.

I fell back asleep sometime later, dreams filling my mind with sweet memories.

_"Do you want soup or salad with that?" _

_"Oh, um, salad, I guess. With ranch," I said as the cashier completed my order._

_"Ok, that comes to $15.82."_

_I handed her my boss's black credit card. "I wish they'd hurry. We have a new employee coming today and I'm supposed to complete his paperwork." I spoke to my friend Jessica who was standing in line with me at the deli. Her brown curls bounced around her head as she looked around the restaurant, always looking for someone she knew._

_"A new employee? What's he doing?" she asked, not looking at me._

_"Just office work. You know, the usual: filing, answering phones, getting Marcus's coffee," I laughed, speaking of my boss who was always so busy that I didn't see how he had time to go to the bathroom, much less get his own coffee. Which was why I was on lunch detail for him today. He had back-to-back meetings all morning and wasn't even going to break for lunch until I insisted. _

_"I bet you're glad, huh?" Jessica asked, finally paying attention to me. "You won't have to do this anymore," she said, gesturing to the deli counter. The girl who took my order returned, two bags in her hand. I thanked her, and Jessica and I left, heading back to the law office where we both worked. She was the secretary for one of the firm's partners, Jane Middleton. I was the secretary for Marcus Volturi, the other partner. _

_My secretarial work usually didn't involve getting my boss's lunch, but we were shorthanded. The last office assistant we had quit three weeks ago, and we'd just been able to find a replacement. _

_Jessica and I parted ways as we entered the building, and I went straight to Marcus's office. I could see through his window he was on the phone, so I opened the door quietly, deposited one of the bags on his desk, and shut the door silently behind me. I made my way to my own office with the other bag from the deli. Marcus insisted on buying lunch for me anytime I had to pick his up. _

_Halfway through my lunch, I saw Marcus walk past my window, a broad smile on his face as he walked. My phone began ringing so I threw what was left of my sandwich into the trash bin and focused on the call._

_"Marcus Volturi's office, Bella speaking. How may I help you?"_

_It was one of Marcus's clients needing to reschedule an appointment. I pulled out his calendar and began calling off available times when Marcus walked up to my window and waved. There was a young man, perhaps in his mid-20s, standing with him, fidgeting nervously with a pad of paper in his hands, jotting something down. This must be the new guy, Edward. He was attractive, I could tell, just by glancing at him. _

_I held up a finger to Marcus indicating I'd be just a minute. He nodded as if understanding, but pointed to the man beside him. I grabbed my own pad of paper from a desk drawer, and quickly wrote out a note:_

**I'm Bella. I'll be right out.**

_The new guy finally looked up at me as I held up the paper for him to see. He smiled crookedly at me, and I immediately felt my cheeks redden. Attractive was an understatement. He was beautiful. I was doomed._

_He returned his attentions to his own notepad before quickly holding it up for me to read._

**I'm Edward Cullen, the new guy. **

_Underneath my first message I wrote a new one and held it up._

**Nice to meet you, new guy. **

_The smile I earned from that was heavenly._

_He waved and smiled again, before focusing on Marcus who was now talking to him and pointing at me. I supposed he was telling Edward all about me as I finished up the call. _

_I made the changes in Marcus's calendar for the client on the phone before hanging up. I walked over to the door, butterflies creeping into my stomach as I pulled open the door._

_Both men turned towards me, and Marcus introduced us formally. _

_"Edward, this is Bella Swan, my right hand gal. She's got some paperwork for you. Bella, take good care of him and bring him to me when you're done."_

_"Yes sir," I replied and Marcus walked away, leaving me alone with Edward Cullen. _

_"Hello," he said, a warm smile forming on his lips. His emerald green eyes stared into mine as he patiently waited for me to speak. I swallowed loudly. "Oh, hi, umm, come in," I nervously spat, standing aside for him to enter my office. I closed the door behind us and took my seat behind my desk. He sat across from me. _

_I felt a tad odd sitting behind the desk, when he was clearly a few years older than me and looked like he'd fit in well with Marcus and Jane in his three piece suit. He was gorgeous. "Just a few forms to fill out," I said, handing him the stack of paper._

_"A few?" he asked, quirking an eyebrow at the large pile. He chuckled and took them from me._

_"Sorry. Just protocol." _

_"It's ok, I was teasing you." He smiled again, crookedly, and began filling out the forms. I blushed. Was he flirting with me? Surely not._

_"Have you always wanted to be a lawyer?" I asked, assuming that's why he was here._

_"No," he answered quickly, pausing his writing. "I'm a doctor. Or, well, I will be as soon as I finish my residency at the hospital. I'm just working here part time until I'm done."_

_I smiled at him, his easy manner getting the better of me and commanding my nerves to calm down. We fell into easy conversation as he completed the forms._

_"Well, I guess I should return you to Marcus now," I said, standing as he slid the forms across my desk._

_"I suppose you should." Again, he smiled. And I returned the gesture, inwardly cursing myself for trying to flirt with a coworker. I walked ahead of him, wanting to squash any chance he had to see the blush on my face. _

_We stopped outside Marcus's office. "Until we meet again, Ms. Swan," he said, locking eyes with mine. All I could manage was a ridiculous grin as we parted ways._

It had all been so simple back then. Just a girl who was attracted to a man who enjoyed getting her attention. We flirted for days while a silent war battled out in my mind whether or not it was ethical to date a coworker.

"He likes you," Marcus pointed out one day. "You shouldn't keep him waiting. He won't be working with us long enough, so stop worrying about that," he said it as though he could read my thoughts. Edward asked me out the next day.

My favorite part of the day was watching Edward arrive for work in the mornings. He'd get out of his expensive sports car wearing an expensive suit and expensive sunglasses. He looked like a movie star. I remembered thinking it odd that he even needed a job back then. Turns out, it was a rule put in place by his father that he had to abide by in order to get his trust fund. He really was spoiled though.

It was nearly 7 o'clock in the morning when I finally woke. I reached for my cup of water, noticing how my joints were aching much worse and my vision was particularly blurry today. My movements woke Edward, who was still sitting next to the bed.

"I told you not to move," he softly spoke, standing and grabbing the cup for me. He handed it to me and I gulped the water, my throat burning as I swallowed. I cringed. Edward sighed loudly, shaking his head. We were both at a loss as to what was wrong with me.

I hadn't given my condition too much thought, assuming whatever it was would pass. Fear began to set in, however, as I wondered if something critical were actually wrong with me. Cancer? Organ failure?

"You're not contagious are you?" a voice called from the door. I looked up to see Demetri staring at me, holding a bouquet of roses.

"I hope not," I said, thinking the same about him. What if Rose had been right? Should I ask him about it?

"Well, I think I'll take my chances," he said, and sauntered over to the other side of the bed, taking a seat. Edward remained seated. I noticed him tense from the corner of my eye, making me wonder again if he'd seen Demetri at my house a few nights before.

"So, what's the doc say is wrong with you?" he asked politely, motioning towards Edward.

"He has no idea," I sighed. Demetri's brow furrowed.

"What do you mean?"

"I should go. I've got to get ready for work. I'll come to check on you at lunch," Edward said, standing. He kissed my forehead again, shot Demetri a cold look, and left.

"That's Dr. Cullen," I said, trying to dissipate some of the awkwardness now floating around the room.

"He seems . . . friendly?" Demetri said it as a question, most likely thinking Edward's behavior was odd.

"He and I have a . . . history. He is my doctor though. He doesn't know what's wrong with me. None of the doctors can figure it out. It's so weird. I was fine one day and sick the next."

"You seemed fine the other night," he noted.

"You haven't been sick have you?" I asked as kindly as I could.

"No, I've been good. Actually, I'd just gotten a physical the morning before I saw you. I have to for football. Doc said I'm healthy as a horse."

I sighed, relief washing over me, and smiled at him. _Thank you, God._

"Maybe when you get out of here we can go to dinner sometime. I mean, if you aren't seeing anyone." His eyes darted to the door where Edward had just exited.

I thought of Edward and the promises he'd made just a few hours ago. As much as I'd waited for years to hear his words, I wasn't sure I could sit around waiting for things to work themselves out. And I had a life to live. I didn't think I could go back to Edward without at least finding out if I could be happy with someone else. I owed myself that much.

"I'd like that. As soon as I'm feeling better I'd really like to go out with you."

"I was afraid you got the wrong impression of me the other night," he admitted. "I didn't want you to think I was taking advantage."

"I didn't think that, Demetri. Besides, I was very willing if you remember." My cheeks were burning red.

He chuckled. "Yeah, I guess we both were. Listen, I gotta get going. We've got practice today." His kissed the same spot Edward had and left, but not before placing the roses beside the flowers Alice had brought.

I had a few hours without visitors so my nurse helped me to the bathroom where I was able to take a quick shower. She gave me privacy, but stood right outside the door the entire time. There was a chair in the shower that I ended up having to use because I was too weak to stand on my own. My mother had brought my toiletries from home, making my stay there a bit more comfortable.

I showered with my strawberry shampoo and lavender bath soap, before allowing the nurse to help me back to bed. I took a short nap afterwards, and woke mere minutes before my parents arrived. Charlie was dressed in jeans and an old t shirt. And he looked worn out. He took his regular seat by my bed and Renee walked over to the bedside table to view the flowers I had received.

"You're sun burnt," I noticed of Charlie, shocked. His nose and cheeks looked sun chapped. It was a rare occasion someone got a sun tan, much less burn, in Forks, Washington.

"I've been in the garden all morning. Picked all I could. It's supposed to be storms for the rest of the week. Looks like the market will be rained out again Saturday. I'm going to see what all I can sell around town. I'm hoping Rosalie can stock up the diner. I'm worried a lot of it may go bad before we can get rid of it."

The past Saturday's market had been rained out, making it possible for mother and me to shop that day. The thought of all those vegetables from two weeks' worth of picking going bad upset me. "Give it away if you have to. That food can't go to waste," I said, voicing my opinion.

Charlie reached around to his neck, scratching. He started swatting at the back of his neck with both hands. "There's something crawling on me," he said, getting mother's attention. She walked over to investigate just as Edward poked his head into the room. I waved him in.

He entered cautiously, eyeing my dad as he did so.

"Eww! There's a tick on you. Don't move," mother commanded, and grabbed a paper towel off the sink counter and swiped it over Charlie's neck. She walked to the bathroom, and I could hear the sound of the toilet flushing.

"It didn't bite me did it?" dad asked her.

"No and thank goodness for that. Wouldn't want you getting some kind of disease and end up in the hospital too," mom said nonchalantly. Edward's head whipped in my direction, eyes wide and nearly shouted, "Were you bit by a tick recently?"

"I don't think so. I'm usually pretty careful when I go in the garden. And I always check myself over . . . oh, wait! The other day when I was picking vegetables for dinner, I didn't change out of my dress first. Maybe one got on me and I just didn't notice it. Is that possible?" I asked. I was usually so careful about watching for ticks. I'd heard awful stories about their bites.

"It's very possible," Edward said, getting closer to the bed. "We need to check you over. Can you help me look?" he asked, looking at my mother.

"Ok, sure," she said, walking right over to me.

"Can you lean forward?" Edward asked me and he helped me to sit up. He pulled open robe, revealing my back and I felt his hands skim over me, giving me goose bumps. Mother was checking my legs.

"Make sure you check the backs of her knees and between her toes," Edward commanded kindly. Mom nodded in response and parted each toe, tickling me in the process.

"Stop that," I ordered her. She shot me a look, so I shut my mouth and allowed them to work.

Edward's hands landed on my neck and he gently pushed my hair over my shoulders. I leaned my head forward as he began combing through my hair.

"Holy shit!" he exclaimed loudly, causing my mom and Charlie to rush to his side. "Here it is. He's in there good." He was poking his fingers around at the skin on my neck right at the hair line. Sure enough, a dull ache formed from his touch.

"Ow," I groaned, and he removed his hands immediately.

"We need to remove this. Right now." Edward's words were fretful but his tone professional. He pushed the nurse call button. Moments later, the nurse appeared, and Edward spat off a short list of supplies he'd need. She left the room in a hurry only to return quickly, and handed Edward a pair of tweezers and tube of Vaseline.

Edward helped me sit up straight and had the nurse keep me steady as he worked on my neck.

"This will be cold," he said, as he rubbed the cream on my skin. I sucked in a breath, making the nurse tighten her hold on me.

"Stay still," she warned. _Yes ma'am._

Edward was in complete doctor mode as he continued to work. The muscles in my back were so sore that I wasn't sure I'd last much longer in that position. It took him nearly half an hour to remove the tick.

"She needs to be tested for Lyme's Disease. Now." The nurse left the room and returned with the proper equipment to take another blood sample.

"I hate needles," I croaked.

Edward looked pleased though, happier than he'd been earlier. "I have a good feeling about this." And he looked relieved.

"I'm glad one of us does. I hate ticks," I said.

He chuckled. "You need to be more careful working in that garden."

"I usually am."

"I'm mowing the thing down," dad said somewhere behind Edward.

"Dad, don't be ridiculous. We can't get rid of ticks even if we do mow down the garden. They're still going to be in the yard."

"I'll mow it down and treat the yard for ticks."

I started to argue with him, but he cut me off. "End of discussion, Isabella. I mean it." I hated when he used my whole name.

"Fine," I said, sounding like a scorned teenager.

It was an hour before the test results were in. Edward had to leave beforehand, saying he'd be back after the clinic closed. Mom and dad both stayed with me. We were all pleased when, finally, a test came back positive and they could begin treating me right away.

Apparently Lyme's Disease is really hard to diagnose but very easy to treat. If it hadn't been for Charlie, we may have never found out what was wrong with me. My nurse injected a dose of antibiotics into my IV immediately. And I was finally able to take something stronger than Tylenol for the pain and fever.

My nurse also gave me another sedative, saying the rest was needed in order for me to feel better. I felt my eyes droop just as my parents kissed me goodbye.


	10. Intuition

**A/N: So, I'm having a hard time getting back into the groove of things now that I'm back at work. I'm starting to figure it all out though. I am truly sorry there is such a delay in between chapters.**

**I want to give my beta, Lovemgoblue, a huge thank you. You are such a big help and you have already taught me so much. Thank You oh smart one!**

**I would also like to give Missus T a huge thank you for rec'd my story. You ROCK! **

**I'd like to welcome all of my new readers. And I'd like to give a big Thank You to all of my reviewers. I am sorry I haven't replied like I should. I am very appreciative of all the reviews I receive . . . they get me in the mood to write.**

**I will not keep you any longer. Please enjoy chapter 10.**

**CH 10 - Intuition**

"What time is it?" I groggily asked. Rosalie put down the newspaper she was reading, smiled brightly, and said, "9 a.m. my dear. You slept all night. And I must say, you look sooo much better. No more dark circles." She gave me two thumbs up and a hearty chuckle.

"You're a dork," I said, yawning. I pulled myself up to a sitting position and noticed my limbs weren't as sore. I stretched my arms over my head, a smile forming on my lips, as the movements did not hurt as much today.

"Feeling better?" Rose asked, scooting her chair closer to the bed.

"Much," I said. I turned to the bedside table and retrieved the glass of ice water waiting for me. I emptied the small container in three gulps.

"I actually can't stay long; I just wanted to make sure you're ok. Jacob has some_thing_ he has to go take care of. I told him I'd be back in 30 minutes. That was an hour ago. He's probably pissed…" Rose trailed off, not really caring whether or not she'd upset her best employee.

"Go, go. I'm fine. No need to keep the man waiting."

"Indeed not," she replied, kissing my forehead and leaving the room.

The day dragged by slowly; my only visitor besides Rosalie was my nurse. Around 2 o'clock in the afternoon she removed my IV before delivering a tray of questionable food. My stomach yearned for actual sustenance, but I refused to eat the so-called meal. I phoned my mother right away, begging for one of Rose's famous hamburgers. Mom delivered the meal in record time, but didn't stay long to visit. Apparently, she and my dad had visited me earlier in the morning before I woke and were given the good news of my quick recovery. They'd left, letting me sleep.

"We're cleaning out the garden," she'd informed me, adding that my dad had taken the rest of the week off, devoting it to caring for the vegetables and my lawn. He hadn't been lying when he'd said he would mow it down.

I finished my burger and side of fries quickly after she left, giving me nothing left to do other than sleep or watch television. I wasn't tired however, after the long night sleep I'd taken, and decided on a shower instead. I allowed my nurse to follow me to the bathroom, but shooed her away once I realized I could manage without her. To my delight, she didn't hang around this time.

I took my time under the cascade of water, letting its warm temperature loosen my joints. I could feel myself slowly returning to normal and hardly moved until the water began to run cold. I pampered myself the best I could in a hospital setting. I massaged freesia-scented lotion over my entire body and paid special attention to my hair with the brush and hair dryer. I pilfered through the bag my mother packed for me and retrieved my gray yoga pants and peach tank top. I pulled on my purple waist-length, silk robe over my shirt before pulling on my pink fuzzy socks.

It was nearly 4 o'clock when I snuggled back into the bed. I was quite surprised to find several movie channels on the television. I decided to watch _Under the Tuscan Sun,_and couldn't help but laugh as I remembered the first time I'd watched it.

Rosalie had rented in one night a couple years ago, and both of us cried as we watched, wishing that moving on with our lives were as easy as the movies made it look. Even though life sent her in a direction she hadn't quite chosen, Diane Lane did a good job at accepting what life threw at her. Rose and I weren't nearly as good at it as she was.

I flipped the channel at 6 o'clock, looking for the nightly news, when Edward knocked on the door. His smile was immediate as he took in my well-rested state.

"I thought for sure I was dying," I admitted with a chuckle.

"I wouldn't have let that happened," he replied, flopping down in the chair closest to the bed.

I cocked an eyebrow at him as he continued, "I would have figured something out."

"You didn't have to come back," I said quietly, trying to communicate with him that I still needed space. I had a lot to figure out.

"I just needed to see you . . . to make sure you were ok."

"I'm ok," I whispered. He nodded, but made no move to leave.

I focused on the news anchors on the television screen, hoping Edward would take the hint and leave. I'd turned the volume down when he'd entered the room so I could not hear what was being said, but as a picture that flashed up on the screen pulled at a distant memory I couldn't quite make out, I pointed the remote at the TV, turning up the volume a few notches.

"One of Seattle's own actresses has been recognized in Hollywood. Earlier today, it was announced that Victoria Hunter, who's performed in theaters in Seattle since the young age of 7, has just signed a major movie deal…." The anchor man continued with the story, but I stopped listening, as I was too focused on the picture of the actress and her husband. I knew her, but I wasn't sure why.

I couldn't dwell on that long, however, as I felt a pair of eyes staring intently at me. I turned my head towards Edward and was stunned by the bewildered look on his face.

"What?" I asked, not sure why he was giving me such an odd look.

"You don't recognize him?" Edward asked, pointing to the picture on the screen. I looked back at the television, confused that Edward was talking about the husband. I got a brief look at the picture before it was replaced with a picture for another storyline.

I shook my head. "I don't think so. Should I?" As far as I could remember, I'd never seen that man before.

Edward sighed loudly before running his hands down his face.

"What's wrong?"

"That was James Hunter," Edward replied. Recognition of the name hit me like a ton of bricks. My breath caught in my throat and I rested my back against the pillows, trying to calm down.

_"How could you do this to me? Why him?" Edward yelled, throwing the pictures at me._

_"I don't even know who this is!" I cried, picking up one of the pictures from the floor. The image was of some man in bed with me, except it wasn't me. It couldn't be. I had no idea who the man in the picture was. I didn't recognize anything staring back at me except my own face. _

_"Don't lie to me," he spat, snatching the picture out of my hands and tossing it to the floor once more. _

_"Of all people, Bella, why him? Why James?"_

_"I don't know who James is. I swear." _

The memory of the final conversation I'd had with Edward all those years ago flashed through my thoughts.

"I never met that man," I whispered, breaking the silence.

"I know. I know that now."

"But you know him, don't you?" I asked as the memory of those words from long ago was now fresh in my mind.

"We went to college together, in the same year. He hated everything about me. To him, I was nothing but a spoiled rich boy: I got everything I wanted;he wanted everything I had. I was a cocky bastard back then and enjoyed making him jealous. For years I thought you and he stole the money and ran off together. It's why I took off the way I did. It hurt so fucking badly. I thought everything we'd been through together was a lie. You were the first thing in my life I'd ever had that I was actually proud of."

I was stunned into silence at his words. It wasn't much, but a small piece of the puzzle had just been put together. This James guy had obviously been out to hurt Edward. And it worked.

"Do you think he stole the money?" I asked, not sure what else to say.

"Probably. If he did, Peter will find out."

"I hope so."

Before the conversation could go on, my nurse entered with my nightly dose of medication.

I swallowed down the pills as she left and Edward stood from his seat. "You'll be able to go home tomorrow if you're up to it."

"I'm up to it." I couldn't help the smile I flashed at him. He tried to return it, but his eyes were sad. We were both ignoring the big elephant in the room. I wondered how long he'd go before mentioning the baby.

"You'll be asleep as soon as those meds kick in," he said, kissing my forehead and turning away. I didn't wish him goodbye as he left.

Drug-induced sleep isn't all it's cracked up to be. The dim light from the television would sometimes come into view, only for me to slip right back under before I was even able to turn off the screen. It was a dreamless night, and I awoke with a throbbing headache. The clock on the bedside table indicated it was 6:30 I had slept for 12 hours. As I pulled myself into a sitting position, I noticed how stiff my body felt. This was soreness much different, though, from the aches I'd grown accustomed to from the tick bite. I stood from the bed and stretched, paying special attention to my back and neck, and made my way over to the bathroom.

Hot water nearly scorched my skin as I stood, unmoving, under the shower head. To say I was feeling better afterwards would be a huge understatement. As I dressed, I felt like myself again. Although I knew the hospital would take care of it, I busied myself by cleaning up my room. I even made the bed. My nurse entered the room during my attempt to fight off boredom and told me the doctor had released me to go. After signing my release papers, I walked out of the hospital with a huge smile on my face.

It wasn't until I was standing in the middle of the parking lot, that I realized I had no way home. Rummaging quickly through my purse, I found my cell phone and dialed Rosalie's number at once.

"I can't come babe, I'm right in the middle of breakfast rush." She didn't even say goodbye before hanging up.

My mother was my next choice, and since she was a housewife, she was available to pick me up. On the short drive back to my house, she quizzed me over and over again on how I was feeling. My headache was starting to return due to her annoying questions.

"Stop babying me," I ground out through gritted teeth, as I climbed out of her car.

"I'll call later to check on you," she reassured, before pulling away.

It felt good to be home again. I'd spent nearly a week in that insufferable hospital room. Sleeping in my own bed again would be such a privilege.

"Ahhh," I sighed out loud as I shut the door and locked it behind me. I trudged up the stairs to my bedroom and dropped my bag with a loud thud. Making my way back downstairs, I noticed the bright sunlight that shone through the windows of my home, illuminating the rooms, making electric light unnecessary. I opened window shades and pulled back curtains as I walked towards the kitchen. A light breeze filled the air as I propped open the back door, allowing one of the last remnants of summer to whirl all around me. Even though it was just August, my summer days were numbered. Any day now the air would turn cool, and I'd no longer be able to leave my doors and windows open.

Tears filled my eyes as I looked out over my now-naked back yard. Everything, including my flowers, had been mowed down. Charlie had gone too far with his attempt at keeping me safe. I wouldn't dwell on it though. I knew he only had my best interest in mind when plowing down all my hard work.

Shaking away the sadness, I turned my back on what used to be my luscious back yard, and wandered to the refrigerator. The shelves and drawers were all packed full with fresh produce, no doubt, saved from the garden. A salad was easy to throw together with all the vegetables Charlie had saved for me. Taking a quick glance inside the freezer, I learned he'd frozen plenty for me as well. And I could almost bet the deep freezer in the garage would also be full. I would likely have enough to last me until next spring, when we'd plant again.

After watching the entire first season of _Friends_, I was tired again. I dozed off only to be awakened minutes later by the thunder rippling across the sky. Sunlight never lasted long here. I ran to the kitchen, closing the back door, before settling down on the couch once more. It was twilight before I woke again, and the rain was coming down in sheets, drenching everything in its path. Movement on the front porch caught my eye as I peered out the window at the falling rain.

Walking cautiously to the front door, I opened the door a tiny crack and peered out, spotting Edward sitting on my top porch step. His elbows rested on his knees as his hands supported his chin. His clothes were dry as a bone, indicating he'd been sitting there awhile.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as I walked out onto the porch.

"I didn't mean for you to see me out here. I thought you were asleep." He didn't look at me as he spoke, but continued to watch the rain fall instead.

Taking a seat in my red swing, I replied, "That doesn't really answer my question."

Words were not needed as he turned to face me. The redness of his eyes indicated why he was here. He was ready to talk about the baby.

"Were you ever going to tell me?" Every word was laced with sadness. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to ward off the unwanted tears that were obviously threatening to leak out.

"Maybe," I answered. I hadn't actually thought to ever tell him. What would have been the point?

That did the trick, and tears seeped out from between his lids and ran down his cheeks. He didn't sob or make any other motion that he was crying. "No wonder you hate me," were his words when he finally spoke.

"I don't hate you."

"You should."

"I know."

Silence.

Eventually he stood from the steps and sat beside me, all the while tears continuing to stain his cheeks. I wanted badly to wipe them away, but I knew I shouldn't. This was a conversation we needed to have, but my request for him to keep his distance still remained. We'd talk this out and then he'd return to his side of the street and leave me to do some long overdue thinking.

"I didn't even know I was pregnant until the doctor told me I'd miscarried."

"I'm so sorry, Bella, I swear I am. I . . . I can't . . . I can't even begin to imagine . . . ." He trailed off as he could no longer hold back the sobs that were starting to escape. I couldn't take it anymore and wrapped both my arms around him as he cradled his head in his hands.

As if it had just taken place, a wave of the most unsettling pain washed over me, as my own sobs filled the air with his. We held each other close as we mourned the loss of our child. I couldn't remember the last time I'd cried so hard. Every part of my body ached from it.

Twilight had long since passed, and the air was now a thick black. Not a star was in sight.

"I'll never be able to make up for it," Edward whispered, finally breaking the silence.

"It's not something that either of us caused, Edward. It just happened. You know that. You must have seen it before with some of your patients. My body just wasn't ready yet."

"It doesn't matter. I should have been here with you. I should have been here."

"Yes, you should have, but there's nothing we can do about that now." Releasing my hold on him, I sat up and wiped my nose on the back of my sleeve. I rubbed the remaining tears from my face and stood, not wanting to carry this on any longer. We'd needed that, our time to grieve together. But I'd had to grieve without him for five years. He'd have to make it on his own for a while, too.

"There's no sense in dwelling on it. I don't want to talk about it anymore. I've made my peace with it, and so should you." They were harsh words, but true all the same.

"Please know how sorry I am," he begged.

"I know. I'm sorry too."

"For what?" he asked, perplexed. He sat up, too, and slung an arm around me, resting it on the back of the swing.

"For not telling you. That was a shitty way for you to find out, even if it did save me a little bit of pain."

"I'm just glad I know. I hate that I know, too. I just . . . I just hurt so much for you right now. For us."

_There is no us, _I wanted to say. At least not right now. I needed him to know this. "I have a date, Edward."

"With the guy who was visiting you the other morning?"

"Yes. His name is Demetri. We work together. We . . . we have been hanging out some lately."

"Oh." He was quiet now.

"It's just that I need to see what's out there. You had a whole other relationship with someone else."

"It wasn't like that," Edward began, but I cut him off.

"I just need to do this. I like him. He's a good guy."

"If this is what you need to do, Bella, then please, do it. But I meant what I said to you the other night. I will fight for you for the rest of my life if I have to. Maybe, now that I know what you had to go through, I don't even stand a chance. Maybe you'll never have me back. But that doesn't mean that I will ever stop trying. I have never stopped loving you. I never loved another woman. One day, when you're ready, I'll explain that. I'll go home if that's what you want, but I'll be waiting." As he stood to leave, cool, wet lips, brushed against my cheek. Before I could react, he was walking down the steps and across the lawn.

My hand palmed my face, holding his kiss in place, as a feeling I thought I'd lost forever, swam to life within me. Every inch of my body was alive after the feel of his lips on me. I shuddered as the winds whipped across the bare skin on my neck and a lone tear rolled down my face. I tried to inhale but almost choked as my breath caught in my lungs. I never thought I'd ever feel his kiss again.

I went inside, locking the door behind me and went straight upstairs to bed. I didn't dare give the feel of his lips on me a single thought as I snuggled under the covers. Another dreamless night went by, and I was thankful. The last thing I needed were bad dreams of what had come and gone, keeping me up all night.

My daily routine picked right back up as if never interrupted. The mornings welcomed me back with open arms as I resumed my runs, and I could practically hear my body thanking me for returning to yoga class. Breakfast took place once again with my family and the dearest of my friends, and no one mentioned Edward. There was no sign of him, either, as the weekend progressed. By the time Sunday night rolled around, I felt rejuvenated. For the first time in so long, the next day held promise for me. Perhaps tomorrows had always met me with new paths to follow, but I'd been too blind and afraid to take them. I was tired of being afraid, though. And I was certainly tired of being sad.

A smile graced my lips as I flipped through clothes in my closet, trying to find something new to fit my mood to wear to school the next day. I'd probably be one of just a few teachers actually at school, but I wanted something different to dress in anyway. I ended up choosing the little black dress I'd thought of wearing on my date with Peter and paired it with a simple white cardigan. It was a bit dressy for work, but hopefully no one would see me. I even chose a pair of strappy heels to wear with it. I knew once I'd get to my classroom I'd just kick them off anyway.

As I lay in bed awaiting sleep, I thought of school and of books. I thought of lunch time with Angela and how much we laughed over the silliness that was high school. And thinking of lunch led to thoughts of Jasper, which led to thoughts of Peter. I fell asleep with him on my mind and his face haunted my dreams. Dreams of Peter telling Edward to forget about me, that all I'd been accused of was true. I woke up panicked that it had actually happened and Edward would never forgive me. I broke down at that point and took two Benadryl. I slept peacefully after that.

"What's with that look?" My dad eyed me over his newspaper the next morning as I entered the diner.

"Just felt like looking nice today. Is that a crime?"

A chuckle escaped him.

"I think she's lovely," my mom said, leaning around my dad and patting the back of my hand.

"I think _you're _lovely," dad said, snaking an arm around my mother's waist and pulling her to him. He slapped a sloppy kiss right on her cheek, and a faint blush crept up her neck at his sudden display of affection. She just smiled, however, and hugged him a bit closer before letting go. The soreness in my cheeks alerted me that I was smiling at them. How could I not? I felt a distant pain, however, as jealousy swept through me. Would I ever have that?

Breakfast went by in its normal manner: conversation flowed easily and the food was delicious. The only thing off about any of it was the distant look on Rosalie's face. She didn't seem sad or angry, but contemplative. She wouldn't, however, meet my eye, and that bugged me. I knew getting a moment alone with her right then was out of the question, so I pushed it to the back of my mind with a promise to drag it back up later.

As I waved good bye to everyone, Angela promised she'd see me at school as soon as she dropped off Ben at the clinic. I was glad I'd have a friend to chat with during the moments I decided to take a break.

In the hour that passed at work before Angela arrived, I actually managed to get quite a lot done. The syllabus packets were stapled and one was placed on each desk; the floor got swept; and my dry erase board was washed and towel dried. Organizing my desk was my next task, but I paused when I heard the faint melody of jazz music playing from somewhere down the hall.

When I'd arrived in the English department this morning I'd been the only teacher here. It was nearly time for Angela to be there, but she wasn't particularly fond of jazz music, so I ruled her out. Curiosity got the best of me and I sauntered out of my room, past Jasper's classroom and towards the saxophone lightly playing from speakers, drawing me in.

The music was in fact coming from Ange's room, but it was Alice I found moving along to each note instead. She had her back to me, writing something out in neat cursive on the board, so I assumed I'd have an easy escape back to my end of the hall. Just as I turned to leave, she proved me wrong.

"Cute shoes," she said, her hand pausing, as she turned around.

My head bent down, examining my shoes as if I'd never seen them before.

"Manolo's," I said, swirling my left ankle in the air in appreciation.

"Oh my God," she gushed. A look of pure lust crossed her face.

"Sit," she ordered, gesturing to the empty chairs with a nod of her head.

Hesitating, I stood at the door, rubbing at a non-existent knot on the back of my neck.

"Please." She looked too innocent as she stared back at me. _It's not my fault_, were the words I could practically hear as her eyes pleaded with me.

I took the bait and wandered in, taking a seat in the front row. Her shoulders relaxed and she smiled warmly at me.

"I'll get right to the point," she started, and walked towards me, taking the seat to my left.

Ah, I should have expected this: the inevitable speech.

"You know him, Bella. You know him better than anyone. Possibly better than even he realizes. He was confused. So many things were being thrown at him . . . everywhere he turned he was being ambushed by people he thought he could trust. Right before he left Seattle our dad was begging him to come back to Chicago. He wanted Edward to join his practice. And our mom . . . well, she just wanted her baby boy closer to home. I know Edward told you how overbearing they can be. With their constant nagging and James Hunter being thrown in his face, I think he just couldn't take it anymore. Edward was so used to getting what he wanted . . . I just think he didn't know how to handle it all.

"I know it hurt you when you found out about Tanya . . . ."

My quirked eyebrow stopped her from continuing. "Tanya?" I asked.

Her eyes darted away from mine as she answered, "His ex."

_Oh. _

"As I was saying, I know you must have been hurt and shocked to hear about . . . that, but please believe me when I say, it is not what it seems like. I won't go into detail because that's Edward's responsibility, but please don't judge him before you hear the whole story."

_There's more?_ I buried my head in my hands at the thought.

"I'm not ready."

"I know you're not. But please don't give up on him."

"I have a lot to think about."

"Don't make any decisions until you hear him out. I'm begging you. I wouldn't take up for him if I thought he was in the wrong. I'm not saying he's perfect, but who is? Especially where the heart's concerned?"

Alice offered fresh insight to the entanglement of craziness between me and Edward. _Would I listen to it?_

Our conversation was interrupted by Angela. The concerned look she gave me indicated she realized she'd walked in on a serious talk. I was thankful.

Organizing my desk wasn't the distraction I needed after the heavy conversation with Alice. The direction of her words kept leading me back to my first date with Edward.

_"I'll have the mushroom ravioli," I said, handing my menu back to the waiter. _

_"I'll have the same," Edward said, mimicking me as he returned his menu as well. _

_"This isn't exactly what I was expecting," I said, looking around the dimly lit Italian restaurant. We were seated in the back at a private booth. _

_Edward looked down at his hands folded on the table, his feelings obviously hurt. _

_"I didn't mean that as a bad thing. I've always wanted to come here actually. It's just that I couldn't help but notice you have a taste for expensive things. I expected you'd try to wine and dine at something a little pricier. I'm glad you didn't. This is perfect." Reaching across the table, I placed a hand over both his, reassuring him with my touch that I was happy about the choice he'd made._

_Green eyes peered into mine as his glorious crooked grin came into view. I blushed as expected._

_"I knew from the start you weren't the kind of girl who was impressed with all that stuff. I knew I'd have to try harder to get you interested."_

_"You didn't have to try too hard."_

_"Maybe not." _

_Flirting with him was effortless._

_"My dad always made sure to take my mom to the most expensive restaurants, or the ballet, or some other form of extravagance. I grew up thinking that's what all girls wanted. Turns out, only conceited or money-hungry girls want stuff like that."_

_"Did you just call your mom money-hungry?" _

_"Not exactly. She actually loves all that crap. But she always likes 'keeping up appearances'." He threw up air quotes and rolled his eyes. "My parents are social elites in Chicago. It means a lot to them." He shrugged his shoulders, pretending this didn't matter to him. I knew better though._

_"My dad took my mom fishing on their honeymoon. They drank iced tea from Mason jars while their fish cooked over a fire. My mom forgot to pack sleeping bags so they ended up sleeping on the grass on their wedding night." _

_A serious look overcame Edward as he stared into my eyes. It was just my luck that the first mention of my parents had obviously freaked him out. Before I could worry too much, however, Edward burst into a fit of laughter. Once he'd calmed down he made me promise to introduce them soon._

On my way home from school I called Demetri, and we discussed a possible date night. As luck would have it, neither of us had plans for dinner. I tossed off the white cardigan I'd worn all day, pulled on fresh panties, and applied a fresh coat of mascara and lip gloss.

A knock on my front door echoed through the house just as I was descending the stairs. Upon opening the door, a dapper-looking Demetri was revealed.

"You look nice," he complimented as he pulled the door shut behind me.

"Thank you. You look good, too."

We made small talk on the drive to Port Angeles. The sushi bar we'd agreed upon was hardly occupied, giving us our choice of tables. We chose one off to the side, away from the few other diners. Just as I was about to take my seat, he leaned in and kissed me on the cheek. My lack of reaction wasn't noticed by him as he sat across from me, a smile playing on his lips. My lips turned up in a poor attempt to return the gesture. It didn't escape my attention that I felt absolutely nothing from the kiss. Not even a flutter in my stomach.

In fact, as dinner progressed and light conversation flowed between us, I couldn't help but think of the last kiss on the cheek I'd received before Demetri's. The kiss that nearly drove me to tears. It was a kiss I'd longed for. And it wasn't from Demetri's lips.

"So, what do you think?" he asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Hmm?" I asked, not at all sure of what he'd said.

"About the yearbook? You'll get to photograph to football games now that you're yearbook advisor, right?"

"Oh, I doubt it. I'm sure the students would rather do that."

"Oh, yeah, of course." Demetri shoved a piece of sushi into his mouth, ending that particular topic. The last time I'd been to a football game was two months after Edward and I had started dating. We'd gone to a local college game in Seattle. The temperature was 24° that night, and the two of us huddled under a blanket, sipping hot cocoa and stealing kisses. The memory made me warm inside.

Looking up from my barely touched plate of food, I found Demetri smiling at me. I realized then that I'd been smiling, too, and felt my cheeks instantly drop.

On the drive home we were both quiet. Demetri tried talking to me, but he'd given up at some point and turned on the radio. I was a lousy date and I knew it. But ignoring my heart at a time like this was something I knew I shouldn't do. I didn't want to date Demetri. And I didn't want to date Peter. I knew where my heart belonged – where it had belonged since the day Edward had stolen it from me. There was no use in fighting it.

"This isn't going anywhere, is it?" We were parked in my driveway as Demetri spoke.

Turning to look at him, I knew he'd find his answer on my face. "I kinda figured as much." He didn't seem angry or sad.

Before I could even answer, he continued on. "It's ok. Really. I knew this wouldn't amount to much. I mean, how can it? We work together."

"Yeah . . . will things be awkward for us now?" I hadn't really given our work arrangement much thought until then.

"Nah, we're both mature adults. It's not like we were in a relationship or anything."

"Good. I don't want it to be weird."

"Let's just chalk this up to a couple of fun nights between friends. A good experience."

"I'm sorry, Demetri. I know I wasn't good company tonight."

"It's alright. I'm kind of glad to be going home early anyway. I can catch the last half of the Packers game. It's just a pre-season game, but still . . ."

_Whatever that means, _I thought to myself.

"Goodnight, my friend," I say, leaning over and returning a kiss to his cheek.

"I'll walk you in."

"No, that's ok. Thank you for dinner." I was out of the car before he could respond. Demetri's car pulled out of the driveway just as I reached the top step of my porch. I leaned against the side railing as I watched his car pull out of view. And that's when I noticed it: the red car parked in Edward's driveway. The same red car that belonged to Peter.

**A/N: I know so many of you aren't big fans of Edward right now . . . he really is a good guy, I swear. Give him a chance. **

**Now that you've finished this chapter, go read "Accidentally In Love," by Missus T. I read all 14 chapters in one sitting. It's the first story I've read on FF in a while that I really like. Go take a look.**

**Oh, but don't you leave without reviewing this chapter first. I absolutely love reading your thoughts. Go on now, go review. **


	11. Another Lifetime

**A/N: Thank you, thank you and thank you to all of you that reviewed. You make me so happy! I get a kick out of reading your theories. Some of you may be on to something . . . and some of you, not so much. But keep trying. **

**I gotta give my beta, Lovemgoblue, some much needed love. You are awesome! You make me a better writer. Thank you for not jumping through the computer and strangling me. Your patients deserves a metal, my friend.**

**Oh, just a heads up, this ENTIRE chapter is a flashback. **

**Enjoy the chapter.**

**Ch. 11 Another Lifetime **

**5 years ago . . .**

_"Stay still, sir," I said with a giggle. _

_"Give me one good reason why I should." His lips pulled up into that perfect crooked smile, and I knew my resolve was thinning._

_"I'm almost done. Please stay still." _

_"Fine," he whined, folding his arms behind his head and lying back on the bed. The smile never faded from his face. _

_"You are a cocky bastard," I said in exasperation and dropped the camera I'd been holding onto the bed beside him. I peered down as I stood over him on the bed and shook my head at his ever-growing grin. _So much for cooperation.

_ He laughed animatedly at my statement as he reached up to grab at my hips. I stepped away from him, doing a sort of dance on the bed, trying to keep away from him. I failed miserably, however, as he wrapped both arms around my waist and pulled me down onto the bed. I was on my back immediately with him hovering over me. _

_"I'd much rather have pictures of you," he whispered in my ear before covering my neck in kisses. _

_"I thought you said you wanted _good_ art."_

_"I do," he said and pulled away until he was straddling me. He stared intently into my eyes as he spoke. "I said I wanted you to take some pictures _for _me. Not _of _me. I want to hang up some of your photos in the apartment. If you insist on me being your subject, then I insist on you joining me. But I really want some of those artsy photos you take blown up and framed. You really are a talented photographer, Bella. I just hate having my picture taken."_

_"Maybe photos of you are for my own personal collection." I gave him my best smoldering look, expecting him to start laughing, but a look of pure lust crossed over his face, taking my breath away. _

_Leaning towards me until our lips were barely touching, he said, "You really have no idea what you do to me," and then he kissed me hard, putting an end to our conversation._

_The next day as I was sitting at my desk, working on a report for Marcus, Edward slipped into my office, quietly shutting the door behind him. _

_"I have to go," he said and offered me his hands. I took them and allowed him to pull me up from my chair._

_Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pressed my lips against his and kissed him passionately. His residency at the hospital would be coming to an end soon, so his days at the law office were numbered. His shifts as an office assistant had already been cut drastically due to doctor duties. I would miss working with him every day. _

_"I really have to go," he said around my lips but continued kissing me. His arms were wrapped securely around me, silently saying he'd miss me too. _

_"I'll be late tonight, remember?" I loosened my hold on him but didn't step away._

_"Where exactly are you going again?" He detached himself from me and ran a hand through his hair. I couldn't help but smile at the mess of copper locks atop his head._

_"The community college. My friend, Emily, has a photography display in the art studio there. I've heard her photos are phenomenal. Maybe I'll get some ideas from her."_

_"Do you want me to come with you?"_

_"Nah, it's ok. You'll probably be tired anyway. Plus, I don't want to bore you. I know you _say _you're a big art fan, but I'm not sure you'd enjoy walking around an art studio for a couple hours with me."_

_"A couple of hours? Really? Yeah, you're probably right. Tell Emily hello for me. And don't be too late. I'll miss you, ya' know?"_

_"I kind of hoped you would." He kissed me once more before leaving. The rest of the day flew by, and I was thankful because I was anxious to see Emily's display. Edward's birthday would be coming up a few weeks later, and I was hoping to give him some of my photos as a gift; but I'd run out of ideas and needed new inspiration. I was hoping Emily could point me in the right direction._

_It was nearly 6:00 before I finished up at the office, and I found myself rushing to get to the art gallery before it closed. When I did finally arrive I was completely blown away by Emily's work. _

_"So you like them?" Emily asked, questioning the look of awe on my face._

_"You really took these? No one helped you?"_

_She nodded her head and said, "It was a 'self-portrait' assignment. Our professor wants us to learn to work more with the tripod."_

_"But how did you get such good poses of yourself? Did you just set the timer on your camera then run to your place? That seems like it'd be really hard to do. My camera only has a ten-second timer. And I have a good camera."_

_"I used a wireless remote control."_

_"I've never heard of those."_

_"Come on, Bella. If you are going to call yourself a photographer, you're gonna have to be a little more on top of things." She nudged me with her elbow, showing she was only teasing._

_"Ok, tell me more about this remote control. I really like this idea of a self-portrait. I could do this as a birthday gift for Edward. He was just telling me he wanted more photos of me."_

_"You could even do some intimate poses. Rent the private studio for a while, set it up however you want, and take all kinds of pictures. You could make him an entire album. Tell me what guy wouldn't love that from his girl?"_

_It was just the kind of thing I knew Edward would be thrilled over. And like Emily said, I could make it as intimate as I wanted. Intimacy wasn't lacking in our relationship, but I loved the idea of giving Edward something so personal that no one else could give him._

_Emily and I walked across the street to a local pub after the studio closed, and she and I spent hours perfecting the details of my project. She even loaned me an extra remote she had that would work well with my camera. And she promised to book me a few sessions in the private studio over the following couple of weeks. _

_When I arrived home that night, Edward was already asleep. I felt badly for getting home so late and missing our evening together, but I was elated that I had such a terrific gift in store for him. Edward grumbled about me smelling of stale cigarettes and beer as I joined him in bed. I tried telling him I'd had drinks with Emily, but he was asleep again before I could finish. I kissed his cheek before rolling over and closing my eyes._

_The next two weeks were complete chaos, and Edward and I barely had time to see one another. Days would go by when the only time we shared was a few hours in bed. And those hours were usually spent sleeping instead of making love. Sometimes two or three days would go by before we were intimate with one another. And that wasn't usual for us. We were an 'every day, sometimes twice a day' couple, and I was really starting to miss his closeness. We cuddled in our sleep, however, and I'd wake sometimes to find his legs and arms tangled with mine. That had to be enough for me right then._

_Edward wasn't quite as patient as I was, though. And I'd found myself having to lie to him a few times as to why I wasn't home as much so he wouldn't find out about my studio time. It was killing me to lie to him, but it'd be worth it in the end. He'd understand once I presented him with the photo album I was working on._

_And the project was going so well. I'd had my hesitations at first about taking nude photos of myself, but the more comfortable I became with the camera, the less awkward it was. The first several photos I'd taken weren't at all what I wanted to give to Edward; I didn't want to give him pornography, I wanted to give him art. I'd had to consult with Emily several times on how to develop that certain level of intimacy in a photograph without crossing the line into distasteful. She always had great ideas, helping me to eventually create exactly what I intended on to begin with. _

_During my last scheduled photo session I ended up finishing earlier than I'd planned to. I got home that evening before Edward, and I knew we'd both be glad about that. As soon as I entered the apartment I decided to surprise him with a home-cooked meal, something neither of us had had in weeks. I knew that was my fault, but it was so important to give him such a personal gift, one that I'd worked hard on. It was extremely difficult picking out a gift for someone who had everything he wanted. And when he found something new he liked he'd just go buy it. He was a difficult person to shop for, and he knew it. He'd be blown away by my creativity. He liked causing me trouble in the gift giving area. He knew he was challenging. It was part of his character that I loved so much. _Cocky bastard.

_I whipped up a pot of spaghetti with a batch of my special sauce that Edward loved so much. After dinner was cooked and warming on the stove, I still had plenty of time before his shift ended and decided to get to work on printing my photographs. _

_The small office in our apartment was cluttered and untidy. There were stacks of books on the floor, papers covering almost every inch of the desk, our shared laptop open with the screen savor bouncing around the screen, and a coffee ring beside it on the desk._

_"Hmmm," I pondered aloud as I sat down at the desk, placing my hand in the wet stain left by a mug of coffee. Edward had left the apartment before I had that morning, and he'd been running late so I knew he hadn't had time to sit down at the computer while he enjoyed his morning cup of Folger's. _

_My arm bumped the computer, awaking it from its slumber and bringing the last accessed website into view. _Edward must have come home on his break to check his account_, I thought. He forgot to log out of his online banking statement, and it was left open on our screen for anyone to see. Both of us were known to bring a friend over from time to time. His carelessness for such things always baffled me. We had some friends who could be nosy. I wouldn't put it past some of them to snoop. _

_I couldn't help but roll my eyes at how lazy he could be. I wiped the watermark off the desk with a napkin then tossed it into the trash can. An empty coffee cup from Edward's favorite café sat at the bottom of the bin, confirming my suspicions that he had been home. _

_I put the thoughts of his carelessness out of my head and went to work on my photos. I signed in to my account on Walgreens's website and got busy uploading my photos. One of the things I loved most about the Internet was being able to send my pictures to the 'one hour photo' at the local drug store. Their prints always looked professional but were affordable, too._

_An error message popped up, alerting me that Walgreens's_ _website was experiencing difficulties. I'd have to go to the store to develop my pictures. _Damn.

_Thankfully, the drug store was just a few blocks away from our apartment building so it didn't take me long to get there. I positioned myself at one of the photo kiosks in the store and quickly inserted my SD card to start choosing my favorite poses. It took me longer than expected to make my decisions on which photos to print, and I knew I wouldn't be able to hang around and wait while they printed. I wanted to be home when Edward arrived._

_I approached the counter to tell the cashier I'd be back the next day._

_"Excuse me," I said, and a woman about my age with long chestnut hair turned around and smiled at me._

_"Yes," the woman said, turning her attention away from her computer as she looked at me and smiled. I was momentarily stunned by the similarities I noticed between the two of us. We could be related, she looked so much like me. She may have been slightly younger than I, but I never was good at guessing the age of others. Her face was set in the same heart shape as mine and her eyes were deep brown, matching the color that stared back at me in the mirror every day. Even the way she dressed reminded me of myself. _

_A look of confusion crossed her face as she waited for me to speak. _

_"Umm, I just submitted some pictures to the one hour photo, but I don't think I'll be able to wait for them tonight. Is it ok if I come back tomorrow?" _

_"Oh yeah, sure that's fine. I love your skirt, by the way. Where did you get it?" _

_"Paris," I replied, without going into detail about my aunt's gracious gift giving._

_"Oh, my God, I've always wanted to go to Paris. You're so lucky you've been."_

_"My mom is from Paris. I spent a lot of time there growing up. You'd love it."_

_"I'm sure. I'd love to just take off from work and go. Hey, you and I look so much alike, maybe you could stay here and work for me. No one would ever know." She giggled at her own joke._

_"You noticed that, too? When you turned around I was shocked at how much we look alike."_

_"Maybe you're my long lost twin," she said, and we shared a laugh. _

_"I'm Bree," she said, introducing herself. I shared my name with her but had to cut the conversation short as my time was starting to run out. The shift changed at the hospital at 7:00. My watch read 7:10._

_I waved goodbye to Bree as I left the photo counter. I was in such a hurry to get out of the store that I accidentally ran into another shopper, knocking the items in her hands to the floor. _

_"I am so sorry!" I exclaimed as I bent down to help her retrieve her merchandise. _

_"It's fine!" she snapped, bringing me up short. I blanched away from her hostile words and stood. I was unable to get a good look at her face as her curtain of bright red hair blocked it from view._

_"I'm really sorry," I mumbled again, before turning to leave. She obviously didn't want my help._

_I got back to the apartment just in time to change into my pajamas and put the garlic bread in the oven before Edward walked through the door._

_"Well, ladies and gentlemen, look who's decided to grace me with her presence." Edward grinned at me and placed his hands on his hips. "And she cooked, too. Are you trying to make up for leaving me at home by myself so much lately? Because if you are, you should know I expect to get laid. It's the least you could do." _

_I threw a kitchen towel at him, and he caught it just in time before it slapped him in the face. He let it hit the ground before stalking towards me. I screamed out just as he reached me and I tried to get away, but he was too fast. _

_"Where do you think you're going, Ms. Swan?"_

_A fit of giggles took over me as he began to tickle me, and I couldn't answer him. We ended up on the kitchen floor, with me on my back, as he continued to tickle my ribs. _

_"Stop, STOP, please . . . I can't . . . breathe," I gasped as tears filled my eyes from the extreme laughter raking through me. _

_He bent down and started nibbling at my neck, causing me to laugh even harder. He ran a hand under my shirt and cupped my right breast. "Mmmm," I moaned, putting an end to my giggling._

_"I've missed you," he said and lifted my shirt up to my chin. He captured my left nipple with his lips, making it hard for me to speak._

_"I've missed . . . you . . . too. The bread . . . it will burn."_

_"Let it."_

_It didn't take long before we'd rid each other of our clothes, and our bodies became a tangled mess on the kitchen floor. We'd barely begun when Edward let out a grunt of pleasure followed by several curses._

_"Damnit! Shit! I'm sorry. I finished. Fuck! See, this is what happens when a day goes by without my having you." He pulled out and started to move one of his hands down my stomach, but I grabbed his hand, stopping him._

_"The bread." I stood and grabbed a pot holder from the counter then pulled the pan from the oven just in time. _

_"Let's go clean up," he said, switching off the burner where the pot of spaghetti was keeping warm._

_"Sounds good," I said and followed him down the hall to our bathroom. We showered together, where he had me crying out in no time before taking me again against the wall while water poured down over us._

_"So, after tomorrow, I have the whole weekend off," he said as he shoveled spaghetti into his mouth._

_"Saturday and Sunday?" I asked as excitement swept through me at the prospect of having him all to myself for two whole days._

_"Yes, ma'am." _

_I smiled at him in glee, and he returned the gesture, making me melt. It was the first normal night we'd had in weeks. I was glad I'd finished the project and could spend more time with him. Even though missing him at work was a given, I'd be glad when his residency was over too and he'd hopefully have a normal schedule._

_As we talked over dinner that night, the thought of making love to him again after we ate kept creeping up to the forefront of my mind. I knew he was thinking of it, too, because his foot kept crawling up my leg as he talked about his day. _

_When our plates were empty, we assembled at the sink to clean up. I washed and he dried. It was our system. Conversation flowed easily as we worked._

_"My grandma on my mom's side taught me how to make that sauce when I was just a kid. It baffles me that my mom didn't learn to be a better cook. My grandma can cook anythi—." A wave of pain in my stomach stopped me from finishing my sentence. I dropped the plate I was holding back into the water and wrapped an arm around my stomach. _

_"You alright?" Edward asked, concerned, and put down the towel he'd been drying dishes with._

_"I don't feel so well," I said, stepping away from him. He just moved with me, though. Another cramp hit me, and I turned from Edward and ran for the bathroom. I got to the toilet in just enough time to dump the contents of my dinner into the bowl. _

_"Get out!" I yelled at Edward and tried to shoo him away with my hand. _

_"Not a chance," he said, coming up behind me and holding my hair out of my face. I threw up three more times before the dry heaves began. Edward just stood behind me though, holding my hair with one hand and rubbing my back with the other. _

_After being in the bathroom for over an hour, I was finally able to get off the floor. I brushed my teeth twice before I felt clean again. _

_"You shouldn't have had to see me like that. I'm sorry," I said as I curled against Edward's chest in bed._

_"I'm a doctor, remember? I've seen much worse. Plus you're the love of my life. I'm in this through better or worse, through sickness and health. All that stuff."_

_"Did I forget us reciting our vows?" _

_"Nope. But it's gonna happen one day. Soon, I hope. So I might as well start living like we've already said them. I love you so much, Bella. There's nothing you can do to scare me away."_

_"I love you, too," I whispered. His declaration of love and a future together wasn't news to me, but I still felt tears filling my eyes at his words. _How could I be so lucky?

_I slept in Edward's arms that night, and as he was kissing me goodbye the next morning he whispered that he loved me and that he'd called in sick for me. He'd be at the hospital all day so he was unable to tell Marcus in person that I was sick._

_The morning went by quickly as I spent the majority of it in bed. By lunch time I was feeling much better and decided to go into work. I arrived when Marcus was out to lunch and was able to get my voicemail checked and emails answered before he returned and sent me home. According to him I looked pale and had no right bringing my virus to the office. I was able to get approximately two hours of work in before he came into my office turned off my computer, and shut off my light, forcing me out the door._

_Another wave of nausea swept over me as I walked to Walgreens to pick up my pictures, but thankfully I didn't throw up again. Bree was standing behind the counter again, her head bent down over a stack of pictures she was holding, and didn't notice me approach. _

_Her attention was so focused on the photos in her hands, that when I said, "Hey, I want to pick up my order," she jumped, sending them to the floor. Curiosity took hold of me and I leaned over the counter to view the mess she'd made._

_"You're not supposed to look back here," she snapped, and deliberately stood in the spot where the majority of the pictures had landed._

_Before I could get a good look at the floor where she stood I jerked back, shocked at her tone, and apologized. "I . . . I'm sorry". _

_"Last name please," she commanded icily, ignoring my apology. My brows furrowed as I responded, "Swan." _

_"Do you have your order receipt," she asked, agitated. Her clipped tone was throwing me off. She seemed so nice the night before._

_"Uh, yea, I think so. Let me see . . . " Items flipped around in my purse as I dug for the slip of paper._

_"Here," I said, handing it to her. Her hand shook as she reached for the receipt, and when I looked at her face she wouldn't meet my eyes. She typed something quickly into the computer before walking to the counter behind her to retrieve my order. _

_"Your shirt is so pretty. I love that color pink," I complimented, hoping to thaw her icy tone somewhat. Her cheeks were fire engine red when she turned back around and handed me my envelope. _

_"Um, thanks," she whispered and glanced down at her shirt, still avoiding eye contact; but at least she didn't yell at me again._

_"Is everything ok?" My voice was a low whisper as I spoke in case her boss was nearby. I didn't want to get her in trouble._

_"Of course," she said loudly, too loud in fact, and a nervous laugh escaped her. Her eyes grew wide at her sudden outburst. _

_The register beeped noisily as she completed my order. Bree's wretched attitude returned as we finished up and I was only too happy to get away from her. The entire ordeal with her was odd. She'd been so friendly and outgoing with me the night before, and I couldn't help but wonder if I'd done something to upset her._

_ When I arrived home, I assembled the photos I'd purchased into the black photo album I'd hid in the spare bedroom. I placed the book back into its hiding place before slipping back under the covers. I was still asleep when Edward got home, and he chastised me for having not eaten all day. He made me chicken noodle soup and spoon fed it to me in bed. It made me nauseous, but I was able to keep it down._

_For most of Saturday Edward and I laid around being lazy. I had another bowl of soup for breakfast before daring to eat a grilled cheese sandwich at lunch. I felt somewhat better as the day progressed, and as Sunday rolled around I was famished._

_"Let's go out for dinner tonight," I said, "I need some fresh air. And food."_

_"Are you sure you feel up to it? I can go grab take out if you'd like."_

_"No, I'm sure. I need to get out of this apartment. Let's go somewhere nice. I want to dress up."_

_"Ok, darlin'. I'll take you anywhere you want to go."_

_"Are you trying to charm me, Mr. Cullen?"_

_"Yes. Is it working?"_

_"Doesn't it always?"_

_He just smiled and tackled me to the couch shower me with kisses. We left shortly after that; I'd dressed in a short white skirt with a blue top and black heels. He wore his black jeans that were my favorite with a white button-up and a black tie. _So handsome.

_He took me to an expensive steak house all the way on the other side of Seattle. We laughed and talked as we enjoyed our meal. I was glad the nausea seemed to have subsided. Edward was in a particularly good mood, glad to see me feeling better, but his happy spirit was replaced quickly with anger when the server returned his debit card, saying quietly that it had been rejected. I could tell Edward was about to blow up at the server, so I quickly handed the poor guy cash, telling him to keep the change. _

_"Why the hell was my card rejected?" Edward yelled into the night as we walked up to the closest ATM we could find. He jammed his card into the machine and punched in his pin number. _

_"What the fuck is this?" he screamed as he read over the receipt. "52 fucking dollars! That's my balance. How the hell is that possible?"_

_"There's probably just been a mistake at the bank, baby. I'm sure they can fix it. Just go in tomorrow morning and tell them what happened."_

_"You're damn right I'm going in there tomorrow. I'll be waiting by the door when they open. How did this happen? Someone fucking robbed me."_

_"Don't jump to conclusions, Edward. I'm sure the bank can figure this out."_

_"Identity theft," he guessed, completely ignoring me. That probably wasn't a bad idea though, seeing as he was so careless with his online banking password. Maybe his account had been hacked? _

_"Maybe," I thought out loud, agreeing with him._

_"You think?" he said, stopping in his tracks and turning to me, grabbing my shoulders. _

_"I don't know. What was your balance the last time you checked?"_

_"I don't fucking know, Bella. I haven't checked it in weeks."_

_"Yes you have. You checked it the other day, remember?"_

_"Did I? I don't fucking know. I DON'T KNOW!" His yelling was directed into the night once more as we made our way home. It was a sleepless night for both of us. Edward tossed and turned, cursing every few hours. We tried talking out the situation, making guesses as to what happened. The only things we could agree upon were that he was either a victim of identity theft or that the bank had made a huge mistake somehow. And my nausea returned at some point so we spent the rest of the night in the bathroom. We both woke the next morning on the bathroom floor as the alarm clock in our bedroom sounded through the apartment._

_"Call me as soon as you finish up at the bank," I said as I zipped up my skirt. I finished dressing for work, and we both left the apartment together. Once we were outside we kissed briefly and parted ways: Edward went in the direction of the bank, and I went the opposite direction towards work._

_I was fidgety all morning, nervous as to why Edward hadn't called and worried as to why my stomach was still upset. I didn't dare eat anything. The virus was kicking my ass. Finally, just before I was due to go on my lunch break, Edward called._

_"Can you come home for lunch? We need to talk."_

_"Ok," I said, his tone of voice scaring me. "Is everything ok?"_

_"Just come home," he said and hung up. _

_He must have received bad news from the bank. _It had to be identity theft. What else could it be?

_When I got home Edward was standing against the counter in the kitchen with several pieces of paper clutched in his hands. His face was pale as a ghost. I'd never seen him look so angry. _

_"Has it always been about the money?" he whispered, his words barely loud enough for me to hear._

_"Has what always been about money? What are you talking about?" I asked, stepping towards him. _

_"You? This? Us?" he yelled, gesturing between us. _

_My hands flew to my chest, and I took a step back, stunned by his accusations. _

_"How could you even say that, Edward? You know I don't care about your money. Where is this coming from?"_

_Without saying a word he held his hand out to me, offering me the papers he'd been holding. The first was his most recent statement with both his and my names highlighted at the top. _When did he put my name on his account?

_The rest of the papers were actually printed camera stills of scenes from within the bank. There were three people prominent in most of the pictures: me, Edward, and the banker sitting at a desk. Except that wasn't me because I'd never been inside that bank. _

_"I don't understand . . . ."_

_"I think I understand exactly what happened. You stole my money. You and some freak pretending to be me added you to my account and gave yourselves a big fucking payday. I trusted you, Bella. I fucking loved you. How could you do this to me? I would have given you every penny if that's what you wanted. I would have given you everything." He was clutching at his hair with both hands as tears streamed down his cheeks. _

This couldn't be happening. Who would do this?_ Nothing made sense other than the fact that Edward was probably breaking up with me._

_"This isn't me. This is not me, I swear. When was this? When did this happen?" I was frantic as I flipped through each piece of paper, looking for a date. When I finally found it, relief washed through me._

_"Edward, look at the date. This happened Friday morning. I was in bed sick that morning. You saw me yourself."_

_He paused his pacing long enough to stare at the date I was pointing to. _

_"I love you so much, Edward. I don't want your money. You could be millions of dollars in debt, and I would still love you just as much. Please, you have to believe me. This is not me in these pictures. I swear."_

_The pictures were in black and white and a little blurry so making out exact details was hard. The person posing as Edward apparently was aware of the cameras and kept his face down. Only his clothes and hairstyle matched Edward's. The girl who posed as me, however, wasn't quite as shy, and held her head up high. Because of the poor quality of the photos, it was hard to argue whether or not it was me. Whoever she was favored me enough to pass, though. It was sickening that someone would do that._

_"You have to take this to the police. I'll go with you. I'll call my dad."_

_"This isn't you?" Edward questioned, grasping for any hope at all. I shook my head as I ran to him and threw my arms around his neck. _

_"It's not me, I swear. I'll swear on my life, it's not me. Please, baby; please believe me. You're everything to me. I can't lose you."_

_Edward sobbed into the crook of my neck as we held tightly onto one another. _

_"I can't lose you either," he finally said once the crying had subsided. _

_"I have to go back to work and finish up a few things. When I get back, we're going to the police." He nodded his head, agreeing with me. _

_"I love you, Edward. I love you."_

_"I love you so much, Bella."_

_I hated Marcus at that moment for needing me back in the office. If he hadn't had such an important case coming up the next day, I would have stayed with Edward. I needed to have been with Edward, to make sure he was ok. To make sure I was ok._

_Once I returned to the office, I finished up my work in record time and briefed Marcus on what had happened at the bank. He was intrigued with the entire story and made me promise to contact him if we needed any help at all. He said he'd be there for us for whatever we needed._

_I'd only been gone from the apartment a couple of hours when I returned to find Edward standing in the middle of the living room with two suitcases sitting at his side._

_"Where are we going?" I asked, confused._

_He didn't answer me, though. He just stood across the room from me, staring at the door behind me as if I hadn't said a word. I was about to make my way over to him when he unfolded his arms, making me notice the manila envelope he'd been holding. He watched my face as he opened the envelope and pulled out a stack of photographs. The expression on his face was deadly as he walked towards me._

_"How could you do this to me? Why him?" Edward yelled, throwing the pictures at me._

_"I don't even know who this is!" I cried, picking up one of the pictures from the floor. The image was of some man in bed with me, except it wasn't me. It couldn't be. I had no idea who the man in the picture was. I didn't recognize anything staring back at me except my own face. _

_"Don't lie to me!" he spat, snatching the picture out of my hands and tossing it to the floor once more. _

_"Of all people, Bella, why him? Why James?"_

_"I don't know who James is. I swear." _

_I picked up all the pictures from the floor and was appalled to recognize some of the poses of me. They were distorted images of some of the photos I'd taken of myself. _Who had gotten hold of these?

_"Where did you get these?" I whispered._

_"They were in the mailbox, Bella. I guess you thought I wouldn't find out, didn't you? Thought you'd skip town with him and all my money? I guess someone was onto you, though."_

_"No, no. I don't know who this is. This isn't me. I mean, it is me, but I never cheated on you. This isn't real. I can explain this. Well, part of it anyway."_

_"You've been lying to me for weeks. All those nights when you were supposed to be out with Emily or working on reports for Marcus, you were actually with James. How could I be so dense? I was stupid to believe you earlier. There was no way to tell if that was you in those pictures from the bank. I couldn't argue with that. But these," he said, slapping the pictures out of my hands, "these can't lie. There's no doubt in my mind that this is you." He was whispering again and it terrified me. He sounded almost resolved._

_"I'm not going to press charges because I love you too much. If you want the money, then take it. But I don't ever want to see you again." He picked up the pictures from the floor, stuffed them back in the envelope, and tucked it away into one of his suitcases before walking towards the door. _

_I was crying hysterically as I called out to him. "Edward, don't do this! Why would I cheat on you? You already give me everything I want. I would never, EVER do this to you. Please!" I ran to him and pulled at his arm, but he shook me off. _

_I followed him out into the hall, and he yelled for me to leave him alone. I couldn't, though. _This could not be happening.

_"Don't go. You have to stay. Please stay with me. We will figure this out. We have to go to the police."_

_"There is no figuring this out. It's over, Bella. This little show you're putting on right now is ridiculous. You got what you wanted. Now, let me go. Stay the fuck away from me!" He yelled his last words before stepping onto the elevator. I was so shocked that he'd yelled at me, that I didn't realize what was happening until the elevator door closed in front of me. I ran down the hall and threw open the door to the stairwell and raced down the steps, hoping I hadn't lost my chance to stop him. I reached the garage just as I saw the back of his car pulling out. I screamed out his name, begging him to come back to me. I didn't have my car keys with me so I couldn't follow him. And I had no idea where he would go. _

_I couldn't wrap my mind around what had just happened. I didn't remember walking back up the stairs to our apartment. I didn't remember falling asleep in my work clothes on the living room floor. I didn't remember the phone ringing when Marcus called the next day._

_I was only focused on finding Edward. No one had seen him, though. No one had heard from him. The hospital didn't know why he'd missed work. His friends hadn't spoken to him in days. He was gone. Vanished without a trace. _

_For weeks, I did nothing but look for him. I went to all of our favorite places asking around for him. I checked every hotel in Seattle. I even checked other apartment buildings in hopes that he'd rented one._

_I gave up when my parents, worried from so many missed phone calls, showed up at my apartment one day. They spent a week with me in Seattle as I packed my belongings, patched up things with Marcus before quitting my job, and said goodbye to my friends. _

_Edward had left so many of his things behind: clothes, CD's, pictures. I kept it all even the furniture. After arriving in Forks, I rented the largest storage building I could find and locked away all our belongings behind the four metal walls. I made sure I would never receive a bill or statement from the storage facility, instead having the money for the rent drafted out of my account each month so I wouldn't have to deal with it._

_Inside, our belongings sat, untouched, in that metal room for five years without even the slightest movement to stir the dust. _

**A/N: I am really interested to know what you're thinking after reading this chapter. Please review and let me know.**


	12. An Incomplete Puzzle

**A/N: First things first: Welcome to my new readers! **

**Next, thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU, to all my reviewers. I love getting your feedback. **

**As always, a big THANK YOU goes to my beta, Lovemgoblue! You're awesome! Speaking of my beta, I made a few small adjustments after receiving the edited version back from her, sooo . . . if you find any errors, please do not hold them against my wonderful beta because she didn't get a chance to edit said changes. I got in too much of a hurry to post the chapter.**

**And last but not least, thank you all for your patience with me. I know it sucks when an author takes forever to post, but life for me is just busy. Thank you in advance for your understanding. I love you all.**

**Because chapter 11 was one giant flashback, I have inserted the last bit of chapter 10 so perhaps you won't need to go back and refresh your memory. I hope it helps. **

**So, on with the story . . .**

**End of ch. 10 . . . **

On the drive home we were both quiet. Demetri tried talking to me, but he'd given up at some point and turned on the radio. I was a lousy date and I knew it. But ignoring my heart at a time like this was something I knew I shouldn't do. I didn't want to date Demetri. And I didn't want to date Peter. I knew where my heart belonged – where it had belonged since the day Edward had stolen it from me. There was no use in fighting it.

"This isn't going anywhere, is it?" We were parked in my driveway as Demetri spoke.

Turning to look at him, I knew he'd find his answer on my face. "I kinda figured as much." He didn't seem angry or sad.

Before I could even answer, he continued on. "It's ok. Really. I knew this wouldn't amount to much. I mean, how can it? We work together."

"Yeah . . . will things be awkward for us now?" I hadn't really given our work arrangement much thought until then.

"Nah, we're both mature adults. It's not like we were in a relationship or anything."

"Good. I don't want it to be weird."

"Let's just chalk this up to a couple of fun nights between friends. A good experience."

"I'm sorry, Demetri. I know I wasn't good company tonight."

"It's alright. I'm kind of glad to be going home early anyway. I can catch the last half of the Packers game. It's just a pre-season game, but still . . ."

_Whatever that means, _I thought to myself.

"Goodnight, my friend," I say, leaning over and returning a kiss to his cheek.

"I'll walk you in."

"No, that's ok. Thank you for dinner." I was out of the car before he could respond. Demetri's car pulled out of the driveway just as I reached the top step of my porch. I leaned against the side railing as I watched his car pull out of view. And that's when I noticed it: the red car parked in Edward's driveway. The same red car that belonged to Peter.

**Ch. 12 – An Incomplete Puzzle**

After Demetri left and saw Peter's car sitting in Edward's driveway, it had taken every ounce of self control I had not to march across the street and demand right then to know why Peter was there. Instead, I sat in the window seat in my living room with all the lights off and peeked around the curtain watching for any movement at all in the Cullen house. After three hours of spying, Peter finally emerged followed by a stressed-looking Edward. I watched as Peter and Edward finished up their conversation before Peter got into his car and pulled out of the driveway. Edward ran his hands through his hair as he watched Peter's tail lights disappear around the corner. Minutes passed as he remained in his spot, unmoving, apparently contemplating whatever information Peter must have shared with him. He glanced once at my house before finally turning around and going inside.

_What could Peter have possibly found out? _That question haunted my thoughts all night as I lay, tossing about in bed and thinking nonstop of the many unanswered questions I had. I could only hope he'd found something that would shed some light into my corner and prove my innocence.

My eyes were already open when the alarm clock sounded the next morning. On a bench at the foot of my bed sat my workout clothes folded into a neat pile, waiting eagerly to be put to good use. They had to keep waiting, though, as the plans I had in mind for that morning did not require their services. Instead, I dressed in a pair of jeans and a long-sleeved grey t-shirt accompanied by an old pair of sneakers I'd found stashed at the back of my closet. I was too preoccupied with what I was about to do to put too much thought into my attire.

The lack of daylight should have stopped me from making such an early house call, but one thing I'd never admitted to being was patient. There was just no way I'd have been able to stay home any longer while Edward was just across the street with – hopefully – important information to share with me. And that was why I found myself crossing the street at 5:45 that morning with a flashlight in my hand leading the way towards his house.

There were no lights on in the Cullen home, I noticed, as I approached their red wooden door. Rudely, I began to knock, not once, not twice, but three times, until a very sleepy Alice finally opened the door.

"I should have known it was you," she groaned, and stepped aside to allow me entrance into her home. It was dark so I was unable to get a good look around. Although I'd lived across the street from this house for several years, I'd never had any reason to enter before. I wasn't interested in its interior designs, however, only in finding its one other occupant and waking him.

"Second door on the left." Alice pointed down the hall before disappearing behind a door to my right. Without hesitating I made my way to his door and lightly tapped. Edward was a heavy sleeper, I remembered, and didn't wake easily. I'd just have to go in uninvited. The door creaked as I slowly pushed it open, but I didn't let that stop me. Once it was open just enough, I slipped inside and closed it behind me. I'm not sure what I expected to see waiting on the other side, but Edward's sleeping form sprawled out on the bed completely disarmed me, making me suddenly feel as if I were trespassing.

Cool air blowing up through the vent I was standing over caused goose bumps to form on my skin as I stood unmoving, staring at him. "Edward?" I whispered, hoping his sleeping habits had changed somewhat and I wouldn't have to shake him. Luck was not on my side, however, as he remained still. He didn't even grunt in acknowledgement.

So I tried again.

"Edward?" My voice was louder this time, but he didn't hear. Frustration ran through me as I stepped closer to the bed, calling out to him once more."Edward, wake up. Please." It was no use. I'd have to touch him.

A loud sigh escaped me as I approached the bed. I couldn't help but smile at the state of his blankets: sheet tangled expertly around his legs and comforter rolled into a ball and stuffed under his head. The makeshift pillow had me clasping my hand to my mouth to stop my laughter from erupting. I was so caught up in the scene laid out in front of me that I didn't notice the absence of actual pillows. My feet, however, found the pillows scattered about the floor just as I was reaching the bed, and I tripped. The palms of my hands made a loud slapping noise on the hardwood floor, and I couldn't stop the loud moan that escaped me.

"What happened?" Edward shot straight up in bed and looked wildly around for the noise that woke him.

"I fell," I groaned as I pulled myself into a sitting position.

"Bella? What are you doing down there?" he asked, leaning over to stare down at me.

"Like I said, I fell. Why are all your pillows in the floor?"

"I don't know . . ." he said in confusion. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. My pride may be a bit bruised, though." I rose to my feet and dusted off my hands on my pants before sitting on the edge of the bed. Honestly, it was a bad idea to have been in his room, on his bed, with him sitting right beside me and looking sexier than any man should've had the right to. Bronze strands of unruly hair stood up in different directions atop his head, and his white muscle shirt pulled taut against his skin, showing off his toned physique. I had not realized he wasn't wearing pants until he unraveled the sheet from his legs and tossed it to the floor, making his black boxer briefs visible.

When I finally managed to bring my eyes up to his face he wore the smuggest of looks. His cocked eyebrow and sideways grin told me he'd been aware of my ogling. My eyes wandered around the room as I pretended to be interested in my surroundings.

It would have been too easy to crawl over to Edward, straddle his lap, and kiss him senseless. Those were the thoughts running through my head as I glanced at him once more.

"So what brings you by at such an early hour, Ms. Swan?" He leaned back, folding his hands behind his head, and rested against the headboard.

"It really is too early, isn't it? I shouldn't have bothered you." At that moment I found my folded hands resting in my lap to be of great importance and took to staring at them instead.

"What? No. No, it's not too early. Hell, if you wanted to come over at 2 a.m. I wouldn't care. You know that. I'm just curious as to why you're here, that's all. I thought you were trying to stay away from me." Sadness worked its way into his voice as he finished, sending an edge of pain through my chest.

"I saw Peter leaving last night. I'm anxious to know what he said."

Edward ran his hand down his face before rising back up to a sitting position. "He's been very productive these last couple of weeks."

My eyes grew wide as I responded. "So he found something, then?"

"He did. It turns out James was the one posing as me at the bank. I guess I'm not really surprised by _that_ piece of information. Peter did give me some information that I'm really confused about, though, and I'm really hoping you can fill in the blanks." There was something in his tone that didn't sit well with me. It almost sounded as if he were going to to accuse me of something all over again.

"Well?" I asked rudely as I stared into his eyes, waiting for the accusations to start.

He rested back against the headboard once more and furrowed his brow, possibly wondering why I had gotten upset so suddenly. It occurred to me then that I may have been expecting a fight that would never actually come; that I had assumed he would accuse me of something, but perhaps he _was_ just confused, as he had said. Jumping to conclusions wasn't like me. I took in a deep breath through my nose, trying to push back the irrational side of me that was rearing her ugly head. My eyes were pleading as I stared into his, hoping I hadn't scared him off. It was imperative that I knew everything Peter had said.

"He had the pictures with him last night. The ones of you . . . umm . . . of James in bed . . . with, well, with you. He . . . uh . . . said he could tell that the pictures had definitely been Photoshopped, but he couldn't explain where the . . . where the naked pictures of you came from. He couldn't find that out. And you did admit that it was you in those pictures. Just not –well, I know you didn't sleep with James."I guess what I'm trying to ask is where the naked pictures of you came from?" He let out a long breath he'd held while speaking and looked at me directly, awaiting my answer. His stare was not accusatory, however, and I was thankful for that. He just wanted answers, too.

"I took them. It was supposed to be a gift for you, for your birthday. Do you remember my friend Emily? The one I used to go visit at the community college all the time?"

"The photographer?"

"Yes. A few weeks before your birthday I went to one of her art shows, and that's where I came up with the idea of doing a self-portrait for you. Well, it turned into an entire album. Emily helped me get studio time so you wouldn't find out about it. I had to sneak around for weeks so you wouldn't find out what I was doing. I never imagined it would all backfire on me. I just wanted to surprise you with something original. I never meant to lie." As I explained it all to him, I realized how perfectly everything had worked out for whoever framed me. I had opened so many doors for them, giving them ample opportunities to throw me under the bus, to make sure I had no way out.

"Damn it!" I yelled and jumped from the bed. I started pacing in front of the large window in his room as my anger rose. "That son of a bitch! I swear; if I ever see James Hunter, I will kill him. What did I ever do to deserve this? I was so proud of that damn photo album. I couldn't wait to give it to you. I still remember . . . I remember you asking for pictures to hang in the apartment. You wanted . . . you wanted them to be of me. I wanted to give myself to you in every . . . in every way." Anger switched over to sadness, and tears began to trickle down my cheeks.

The sobs rising in my chest didn't have time to escape before Edward leapt from the bed and pulled me into his arms. Before I could stop him, he pulled us down onto the bed and held me to his chest. His hand rubbed soothing circles on my back while I cried. _Would I ever understand why any of this had happened to us? To me? _

Our bodies were still pressed together long after the tears had stopped falling and my sobs had subsided. We lay in silence as my fingers played lazily with the collar of his shirt. Lying with him was effortless. I imagined that 25 years could have lapsed and it would have been just as easy. A faint current igniting between our bodies indicated how compatible we still were. I longed to have my way with him, to wrap my body around his, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. There was still a part of my brain and my heart reminding me how much he'd hurt me. He had a lot of repairing to do.

Edward broke the silence and spoke softly. "I would have loved the album, Bella. I wish I'd been able to see it before it was stolen."

"It wasn't stolen," I said as I sat up. "I still have it."

He rose to sit beside me and tucked my hair behind my ears before holding my face with both hands. My heart rate accelerated as I was sure he was about to kiss me; but as his lips began forming words, my pulse slowed, and I could breathe easily once more. I guess my body wasn't quite ready for him after all.

"I want to see it. Please."

"Ok, I'll just go get it." The bed squeaked as I slid across it. My feet hit the floor softly, and I walked over to the bedroom door. "Be right back," I said and waved at him before turning to leave.

The photo album was the one item from my past that wasn't locked away in my rented storage space on the other side of Forks. Instead, it was hidden on the very top of one of my bookcases in my office. I had been too afraid to leave the album in storage in case my unit ever got robbed. I knew it was possible for someone to have seen it at my house, but I just couldn't bear the thought of those pictures getting into the wrong hands ever again. It was the only clue I had with me all those years. I had always hoped they would end up holding secrets and would one day reveal them to me. I smiled to myself while sprinting across the road as I realized the pictures had come through for me. They offered a piece of the puzzle to Edward and proved I'd been alone in the real photos.

Happy thoughts of the puzzle slowly getting pieced together had distracted me from what was actually inside the album, and I handed it over to Edward easily; but before he could get a proper look at the first page, realization hit me and I snatched the book back. I clutched it to my chest as he stared up at me from the bed where he sat. I stood over him, a crazed look on my face I was sure, and contemplated running away and stashing the album in a better hiding place. Before I could move, however, Edward was pulling at my arms, trying to free the book from my grasp.

"Stop it!"

"Give me the book, and I'll stop."

"No, I don't want you to see it." I twisted my body away from him, but he was too strong for me and held tightly onto my arms.

"Give it to me. It's mine."

"It is not!"

"Yes, it is. That's my birthday present. Give it." He pulled harder on my arms, but I wasn't letting go so easily.

"You'll have to try harder than that," I warned and continued to try to escape.

A slow grin pulled at his lips, causing me to take a step back. He allowed this and loosened his hold on me. Just as I thought maybe he'd given up, his hands dropped to my sides and started tickling me. I screamed out, wanting him to stop. Laughter bubbled up from the pit of my stomach and bounced off his bedroom walls. He laughed along with me as he continued, knowing I'd have to drop my arms soon in order to protect myself.

"Do you want me to stop?" he teased.

"You know . . . I . . . do." I turned in his arms, facing the door, and tried to make a run for it. He wrapped his arms around my waist, though, and pulled me into his lap before we both fell against the bed. I was lying on top of him, my back to his chest, as his hands continued tickling my ribs. I couldn't hold on any longer and slapped at both his hands to make him stop.

"Victory!" he yelled and grabbed the book. He flipped over onto his belly so fast that I fell off him and slid onto the bed. I threw myself onto his back just as he again opened the album to the first page.

"No!" My hands wrapped around his head, covering his eyes, as a last resort to hide those photos from him. It didn't matter that he'd seen some of them already in those fabricated prints he'd received years before. _My_ photos were different – more intimate.

"Please, Edward, I don't want you to see them."

"Why not? I've seen you naked. And you took these specifically for me."

"Yeah, five years ago. If you're going to look at them, then I'm leaving."

A loud thud echoed through the room as he dropped the album to the floor. Our entire interaction since I'd arrived that morning had my stomach in knots, and I knew it was time to go home. Just knowing that I couldn't be with another man wasn't enough to send me running into his arms. Flirting and cuddling with him would do nothing but confuse us both. With my mind made up, I rolled off his back and stood from the bed. But before I could start my way towards the door, he spoke.

"How did James get a hold of those photos, do you think?" Edward looked at me thoughtfully, awaiting my answer.

I walked around to the side of the bed where Edward dropped the album and picked it up. The pages in the book were dusty from years of solitude – I had not even thought about them since I'd moved into my house. As I studied each photo, I thought back to the days following Edward's departure from my life.

I had thought my SD card must have been compromised at the rented studio where I took the photos. The private room I occupied had a lock on the door, protecting me – so I thought – from outsiders. But the building itself was full of workers who may have had a key. There were times when my camera was left unattended: when I'd leave to use the bathroom or ask for assistance with the room's lighting. For years following the break-up I had assumed whoever had gotten a hold of those photos had been following me and must have copied them from my camera when I wasn't looking.

But as I flipped to the back of the photo album, reality stared up at me in the form of a white slip of paper: the Walgreens receipt from the day I'd developed the pictures.

"Oh . . . my . . . God. I'm an idiot." My voice was a mere whisper as I recalled memories of the only other person I had allowed to see the pictures.

_ "Excuse me," I said, and a woman about my age with long chestnut hair turned around and smiled at me._

_"Yes," the woman said, turning her attention away from her computer as she looked at me and smiled. I was momentarily stunned by the similarities I noticed between the two of us. We could be related, she looked so much like me. She may have been slightly younger than I, but I never was good at guessing the age of others. Her face was set in the same heart shape as mine and her eyes were deep brown, matching the color that stared back at me in the mirror every day. Even the way she dressed reminded me of myself. _

_Her attention was so focused on the photos in her hands, that when I said, "Hey, I want to pick up my order," she jumped, sending them to the floor. Curiosity took hold of me and I leaned over the counter to view the mess she'd made._

_"You're not supposed to look back here," she snapped, and deliberately stood in the spot where the majority of the pictures had landed._

"Bella? What is it? What are you thinking?" Edward stood in front of me with his hands on my shoulders, shaking me back to reality.

"Walgreens."

"Walgreens?"

"I know where he got the pictures."

"He got them from Walgreens? I don't understand."

"That's where I always got my pictures developed. And the girl who printed these," I yelled, as it all started clicking together, and held up the album to Edward's face, "she LOOKED like me! Why did I never think of this before?" I plopped down on the bed and buried my head in my hands. It must have been the pure shock of losing Edward that had made me so dense for five years.

"You think the girl who waited on you copied them?" The spot on the bed beside me sank as he sat down.

"It makes no sense, though. I had never even met that girl until then." Abandoning Edward on the bed, I stood and started pacing, and tried to talk it out.

"She made copies of the pictures. It had to be her. And, what, she gave them to James? But why? Why would she think to do that? Did she know him? Did he seek her out? No, I know I was being followed. That much is obvious now. I must have been followed to Walgreens. Did they threaten the cashier? Pay her off?"

"So you think the girl from the store was in on it? I'm calling Peter. He needs to know about this."

The sun made its morning debut as it peeked out from behind the thin layer of clouds occupying the sky. Bright sunbeams shone in through the window, illuminating the room. I turned from the window, where I had been standing, to watch Edward dial Peter's number. The sun shone on Edward's hair, momentarily turning it red, as he concentrated on his phone call.

"He's not there." His cell phone bounced on the bed as he threw it down. He went straight to his closet and pulled out a pair of jeans, starting to dress right in front of me. "Do you know where Peter lives?" he asked as he turned his back to me and started rummaging through his dresser. My eyes almost popped out of their sockets as he pulled the muscle shirt he'd been wearing over his head and tossed it on the bed, too. I felt my cheeks burn red and turned away from him before I got caught staring again.

"He lives in the loft above the pizzeria in town. The one next to the diner."

"I'll drive. I know where I'm going." I didn't wait for him to argue but turned from the window and walked across the room. I was able to get a better look at my surroundings as I walked to the living room. The walls were decorated with only a few pictures and the furniture was just mediocre. The decorating wasn't distasteful, but there was nothing special about it. One wall of the living room was occupied by stacks of unpacked boxes. And in front of the large window facing the front yard sat a plain brown wooden piano. It looked nothing like the shiny black baby grand that had sat, untouched for years, in my storage unit.

Of all the toys and expensive gadgets Edward used to own, his piano had been his favorite. I was with him the day he purchased it and watched in awe as the furniture delivery guys managed to maneuver it through the door of our apartment. Our living room was spacious and open, just waiting for such a lovely piece of furniture. And Edward never seemed more at home than he did when he sat at the baby grand. I would lie on the couch back then and watch him as he played. He'd have given up all his other meaningless possessions if it meant keeping that piano. Because it meant so much to him I spent extra money in storing it away correctly, making sure it wouldn't ruin in storage.

"What are you thinking?" he whispered behind me and ran his fingers down the back of my arm. I jumped at his touch and pulled down my pushed-up sleeves, covering the exposed skin.

"I was just thinking that none of this seems like you." I waved my hands around the room, gesturing at the furniture.

"People change," he said while running a hand uncomfortably through his hair. He wasn't telling me something, but I let it rest. Another time would come when we could talk about the people we'd become.

I watched him, however, as he glanced around the room before his eyes fell upon the piano. Indifference crossed over his face as he stared at it, and I was able to catch a glimpse of the spoiled boy I once knew.

"You miss the baby grand, don't you?"

His lips pulled up into his signature crooked grin as he nodded his head. There was a hint of sparkle in his eyes, nostalgia perhaps. I wondered how he'd react if he knew I still had it. I kept that information to myself, though. We walked out of the house after that and across the street to my truck.

Disdain was obvious on his face as he stood on the passenger side of my truck. Though he may have changed in some ways, I could tell Edward obviously still had high-end expectations. Pursing my lips, I climbed behind the steering wheel, trying not to laugh. Reluctantly, he climbed in, too. From the corner of my eye I saw his head shaking in disapproval as the truck roared to life. He mumbled something under his breath as I backed out into the street.

"What was that?" I questioned.

"I said I need a tetanus shot just looking at this thing."

"Hey! This truck is a classic."

"Yeah, classic piece of crap."

"Well, excuse me for not driving a shiny new Volvo. At least people won't mistake me for a soccer mom."

"A lumberjack maybe."

Laughter filled the cab of the truck then as we both reacted to the silly conversation. It was a much needed break in all the serious words that had surrounded us for weeks.

"Tell me again why you gave the Aston Martin away."

"I grew up?" He was questioning his own decision. _Why?_

"Sounds like you don't really know."

Silence passed between us as we traveled along the highway. The trip was a short three miles, and soon enough, we would be thrown back into reality as we approached Peter with new information. I waited patiently for Edward to answer, and I was starting to think he never would as I pulled into the parking lot of the pizzeria.

"It was my father's idea."

"To get rid of the car?" I pulled the keys from the ignition and turned to look at him. He was staring out the windshield, looking deep in thought.

"He said I needed to start acting my age. Be more responsible."

"What's irresponsible about owning a sports car?"

"Look, I really don't want to talk about it right now. Let's just go get this over with." He ran his hands down his face as if he were trying to clear his head.

Edward used to have a strained relationship with his parents. I remembered how his mom used to call weekly to check up on him. I used to get the impression that she didn't approve of me. Edward often had to remind her he had a girlfriend when she'd start telling him so-and-so's daughter was single – always a friend of the Cullen family. The phone calls would often get interrupted by Dr. Cullen, Edward's father, who would grill Edward on how his residency was going. Once, Edward made the mistake of telling him he'd heard a rumor that there weren't a lot of jobs available in Seattle of interest to him. The plan was for us to travel to California if he couldn't get work in Seattle. Before Edward could share that news with his father, Dr. Cullen began a quest to get Edward back to Chicago. And his mother had been only too happy to help. Their weekly phone calls became missions to make Chicago more appealing to him.

Esme, Edward's mom, made him so angry once by telling him she had given his phone number to a nice girl she knew would be perfect for him, that he began shouting and lied to her, saying we had eloped in secret several weeks earlier. He eventually told her it wasn't true, followed by him admitting to her that we did plan to get married at some point. She didn't take the news well, and Edward ended the call by hanging up on her when she started crying.

Edward had spent so much time trying to find his way in life without giving in to their petty wants, that it surprised me he had relented so easily and gone back to Chicago. It occurred to me then that I may not have been the only thing that drove him back to Illinois.

He still seemed touchy at the mention of his parents so I didn't press the subject. Instead, I jumped out of the truck, followed by Edward, and we made our way towards the building. There was a set of glass doors on the side of the pizzeria with a staircase behind them that led up to Peter's apartment. I opened the doors and went ahead of Edward and began to climb the steps. There was no light in the stairwell, and the higher we climbed the darker it got. Halfway up, the darkness was broken by a stream of sunlight flooding out from Peter's open door. As I approached the landing I saw an overturned table just inside the door.

Since I was a few steps ahead of Edward, I saw the mess first and he could not stop me from running through the open door. The entire apartment was in disarray, I noticed, as I searched for Peter. I didn't even consider that an intruder could be in the apartment.

"Bella!" Edward yelled from somewhere behind me, but before I could answer him, I found Peter lying on his kitchen floor.

"No! Peter! Peter? Can you hear me?" I crouched down beside him and grabbed his face between my hands.

"Please wake up, sweetie," I begged hysterically.

"Be careful," Edward commanded professionally as he knelt down on Peter's other side and slipped into doctor mode. "He may have hit his head," he clarified.

Peter let out a groan as I slowly let go of his face. "Hey, gorgeous," he mumbled as he opened his eyes.

"Hey, yourself," I smiled down at him as I brushed the hair out of his eyes. A pool of blood had dried at his hairline, making a matted mess of his blonde locks.

"I thought I'd never see that beautiful smile of yours again."

"This is probably the last time you will," I admitted, "I'm pretty pissed at you."

"Yeah, I know." He smiled up at me, making me blush. _Leave it to Peter to be charming even in his hour of pain._

"So, what happened?" Edward asked impatiently. Peter startled at hearing Edward's voice and began to lean on his elbows.

Edward pushed at one of Peter's shoulders, sending him back to the floor, and said, "You should probably stay still. You might have a concussion." Jealousy was evident in Edwards's voice. I whipped my head in his direction, shocked at how abrupt he was being.

"Don't be so rough," I whispered, even though I knew Peter would hear. Edward's jaw tightened in response.

"I think I'm ok. Just got knocked around a bit, that's all. Nothing too serious." Peter climbed from the floor and walked over to his kitchen table. He took a seat in the only chair that was still upright and commented on the state of his apartment. "Geez, this place is a mess."

A roll of paper towels was sitting on the counter so I tore off several sheets and saturated them with cold water. I did my best to ignore Edward's stare as I walked over to Peter, stood between his legs, and started rubbing the towels over the dried blood on his head. A look of longing flashed in Peter's eyes before being replaced with unease, and he took the towels from me, saying, "I got this."

"Does it hurt?" I asked as I took a step back.

"Not too bad."

"Are you going to tell us what happened or not?" With his arms crossed over his chest, Edward leaned against the kitchen counter, wearing a grim expression, awaiting Peter's answer.

"Right. Yes, of course. The sound of glass breaking woke me this morning. An hour ago, perhaps? Upon investigating the noise, I discovered an intruder in my living room. He'd broken my lamp. An accident, I think. He was wearing a ski mask. That's actually very frightening to see. Anyway, one minute I'm standing in the living room, the next minute he's coming at me with his fists raised, and the next thing I know, you, my dear, are waking me." He looked pleased with himself as he smiled brightly at me, not at all concerned with the information he just shared.

"Why aren't you more worried about this, Peter?" I voiced my concern, hoping I just read him wrong.

"Well, you see, this, unfortunately, is a side effect of my job."

"This has happened before?" How could he be so calm?

"Twice, actually. Once people realize they're being investigated, they get desperate." Peter rose from the table and walked around me, heading for the hall. "Let's go see if we can figure out which of the cases I'm working on interested the mad man."

"You're working on more than our case?" Edward followed him, questioning his work method. I interrupted before Peter could answer.

"_Our_ case? I was under the impression that I was being investigated, too."

Edward paused in the hallway, where we'd all congregated, and turned to face me. Peter continued down the hall to his office.

"I told you I wasn't having you investigated. I just want the truth. I know it wasn't you." Gone was any trace of jealousy that I'd detected from him moments before. It had been replaced with pure guilt instead. He held my gaze with his, silently begging me to forgive him. I broke eye contact and pushed passed him into the office. _Could I ever forgive Edward for everything?_

Peter stood in the middle of the torn-apart office, drumming his fingers over his lips, looking contemplative.

"Well?" I asked, hoping the intruder wasn't connected to Edward's case.

"It appears that he was after your case file," he said and pointed to Edward. _Damn_.

"You're sure?" Edward asked, stepping into the room.

"Well, your file is the only one missing. Along with my laptop. That's where all of the important stuff is hidden. No need to worry, though. I have an excellent security system in place on my computer. No ordinary person is getting past that."

"I want the investigation to stop." Edward spoke with authority as he addressed Peter.

_What? No! _There were still too many unanswered questions.

"I'm afraid I cannot and will not do that." The two men stood in the middle of the room, staring each other down.

"I won't pay you," Edward argued.

"I'll work for free."

"Why would you do that?"

"I owe it to Bella. I was rude to her."

"Peter," I began, but he held up a hand, silencing me.

"Bella, I _was_ rude to you. Plus, you're Jasper's closest friend. For that alone, I owe you."

He was going to make some woman _very_ happy one day.

"Thank you," I whispered.

"It's too dangerous. If you refuse to stop, then at least notify the police." Edward wasn't going to back down easily.

"I prefer to work alone." Peter busied himself by picking up folders and forms scattered about the floor.

"Let me help," I offered and bent to pick up some papers near my feet.

"No, please, don't. Really, it's better if you don't. These papers have information on other cases and I don't want you getting involved anymore than you already are. Go, enjoy your weekend. I'll call if I get any leads." He tried to shoo us away with a wave of his hand.

"Umm, Peter, we actually came here for a reason. I, uh, I need to tell you something." My nerves began to build up inside me as I realized what I was about to admit to him. I took a deep breath before I continued. "Edward told me the news you shared with him last night. I know you figured out that parts of the pictures of me weren't actually Photoshopped and, well, that actually is true. I had made intimate pictures of myself as a birthday gift for Edward. I believe that the girl who printed my pictures for me must have made copies of them." I exhaled loudly and was glad I'd gotten that over with.

Peter tossed the papers he'd been holding down onto his desk and began moving things haphazardly around, sending more things to the floor. Once he came across some blank sheets of paper and an ink pen, he stopped making an even bigger mess and turned to me, looking rather serious, as a flow of questions fell from his mouth.

"Where did you get the photos printed? Do you know the girl's name? Had you met her before or was that the first time? Do you remember what she looked like?" Peter resembled a journalist as he spewed questions at me with his paper and pen held in front of him.

"I got the pictures printed at a Walgreensin Seattle, right down the street from our old apartment. I don't remember the girl's name, and she looked just like me. Maybe a couple years younger. And I'd never met her before, that I know of, until getting my pictures. I know nothing else about her."

"That's ok, Bella. This is all really good. It's plenty for me to work off of. Even if the cashier that waited on you no longer works with Walgreens, which I'm sure she does not, getting past employment records for the store shouldn't be a problem."

"Thank you, Peter. I honestly appreciate you doing this for us." I wasn't sure what I'd do if Peter stopped the investigation.

"Don't do anything stupid," Edward said, resigned to the fact Peter would not stop his search for answers.

"Of course not," Peter replied a little too quickly. I felt uncomfortable leaving Peter alone, and I told him this as he was ushering us back onto the stairwell.

"I'll set the alarm this time. And I'll load my pistol. Just in case."

My eyes widened at the mention of a gun.

"I'm a sharp shooter. I never miss," he said eagerly.

"How many people have you shot?" I gasped.

"Oh, none. But I get an A+ at the shooting range every time." Peter bounced on his toes, with his hands stuffed in his pockets and bid us goodbye as we descended the stairs.

The smell of breakfast cooking wafted through the air from Rose's Diner. My stomach growled in anticipation as we neared the truck. I could see inside the diner from where I was parked and noticed Angela and Ben sitting at the bar. They were facing the window, staring at me. I missed them. I hadn't spoken to them in days.

"Let's go have breakfast," I said to Edward and began the short walk to the diner's front door. I was halfway there when I noticed he wasn't following.

"Aren't you coming?"

"I thought you wanted me to stay away from the diner. I'm just a little confused."

He was right. I was giving mixed signals, so I was going to have to set new ground rules for us since deciding I wanted him in my life. I needed to think it all through, though, before I told him. I was still hurt by him; upset that he left me. We had several issues that needed to be addressed, his trust issue being the biggest of all.

"I'm making a one-time exception," I offered because at the time that was all I could do. And I was too hungry to work it out right that second.

Luckily for me, and for Edward, my parents weren't at the diner. He'd just have to face the wrath of the rest of the group. And if I were being honest, I was glad to get it over with. Rosalie had already met Edward, so he should have been prepared for her snarky attitude. Ben worked with him so they should have been used to one another by that point. That just left Angela. She was the most easy-going of the group and could pick out the good in almost anyone. I hoped she could do the same with Edward. Yes, he had hurt me, but even so, I had loved him so fiercely and hoped Angela would remember that, for my sake.

I stood in place as Edward walked to catch up with me, and he held the door open once we reached the diner, allowing me to go in before him. I caught Rosalie's eyes first, just in time for her to roll them before she walked to the kitchen. Ben seemed disinterested, with his nose buried in a book, and merely grunted a "What's up?" as we took our seats.

"Hey," I greeted and turned to give Angela's belly a pat.

"What are you doing?" she asked, perturbed.

"Rubbing the belly for good luck?" I knew what she was referring to but had hoped she wouldn't start in on him right away.

"No, with him. Why is he here?" She spoke loudly enough for most of the diner to hear. Thankfully, the breakfast rush was over and most people had cleared out by then.

"Sweetie, please don't be upset." I grabbed her hand and clutched it between mine to calm her, but she snatched it back.

"You're out of your mind, Bella! He doesn't deserve you. He doesn't deserve for you to even look at him. Have you lost all self respect? What will you do when he decides to leave again? Pine over him for five more years? This isn't healthy behavior, Bella. You gave up so much because of him. You didn't even try to date anyone else. You've –."

"I know I don't deserve her. I never have." Edward spoke up, interrupting Angela's ranting.

Each word that flowed from her lips stung like a whip against bare skin. _Was that really how everyone thought of me? That I had given up on myself for him?_

"And I'm not leaving again. Ever. Bella's happiness means everything to me. If I think I am causing her unhappiness, I'll give her space. But I'll never be so far away that she can't find me. I'm not going anywhere." It was Edward's second showdown of the day. Angela stared at him with such ferocity that Edward eventually looked away, breaking eye contact.

"We were visiting Peter. He had some information for us. That's all this is." I wanted desperately for her to give me some credit for not running straight into Edward's arms. I had wanted to a few times, but I always talked myself out of it. I did have enough self worth to take things slowly with him.

"You just focus on my nephew. I promise Charlie and Rosalie will keep me in line. Ok?" My words were pleading, and Angela backed down and smiled sheepishly at me.

Rosalie threw in a "Damn right," from somewhere in the kitchen, making us laugh.

"I just love you," Angela admitted.

"And I love you."

"I'm not talking to him, though," she added before turning back to her plate of pancakes.

"What are you in the mood for today?" Rosalie asked, emerging from the kitchen to take our orders.

"Veggie omelet. You?" I asked Edward.

"The same," he said politely.

"Whatever," Rose mumbled and went back to the kitchen.

"Will it ever get better?" Edward's voice was a low whisper as he stared down at his hands folded on the countertop.

"It has to. If not, why are we even putting ourselves through all of this?"

"You're worth fighting for." He looked up at me then, and his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

My mind was torn as I stared into his eyes, and I had trouble forming a complete thought. The part of me that loved him unconditionally wanted to kiss away all his sadness. But the part of me that still hurt every time I looked at him wished he'd feel just a fraction of the pain I had suffered through. I looked away, unsure of how to deal with him, and, instead, focused on the door of the kitchen which Rosalie had disappeared behind. The four of us sat uncomfortably quiet, making me happier than I should have been when Angela and Ben announced they were leaving.

"Let's talk more during lunch at school next week, ok?" Angela kissed my cheek as she planned our lunch date. School started back officially the next Monday. It couldn't start fast enough as far as I was concerned. My life needed some sense of normalcy again.

"Sounds good."

"See ya'," Ben added, giving first me, then Edward a wave. Upon arriving at the diner, I'd mistaken Ben's casual mood for indifference; but with that small, inconsequential wave of his hand, I saw it for what it really meant: Ben liked Edward. My life had been so crazy that I had forgotten Ben spent all day, five days a week with Edward. I decided Ben and I would have to have a private chat and soon. It'd do me some good to have a friend on both sides.

Rosalie appeared with our plates of food moments later and placed them on the counter in front of us before starting in on her interrogation.

"Has Peter found out anything useful?" she asked as she rested her elbows on the counter. I nodded my head vigorously in answer while I swallowed down a mouthful of egg.

"We now know who posed as Edward at the bank. Which means we know who stole the money." I paused to take a sip of the warm cup of coffee Rose had poured for me. "And get this," I continued, "Someone broke into Peter's apartment this morning and stole all his information on us." My voice had dropped to a low whisper.

Rosalie's eyes widened as she stared past me in what I assumed was fear or shock of a break in so close to the diner. But as she continued to stare, I got the distinct feeling she was actually looking at someone or something. I did a quick check over my shoulder and spotted Emmett Cullen climbing out of the dark blue Aston Martin I'd come to know so well years prior.

"I'll be . . . right . . . back," Rosalie whispered before bolting into the kitchen.

I felt the color drain from my face as Edward's brother approached the diner. Would this meeting go as well as meeting Alice had? Or would Emmett behave as I had expected Alice to and give me the cold shoulder?

Edward noticed me staring and turned to see what had grabbed my attention. His lips broke out into a full grin as he hopped off his stool and bounded over to the door, holding it open just in time for Emmett to walk through.

"Brother! Good to see you man!" Emmett exclaimed in glee and wrapped his arms around Edward, hugging him tightly. The brotherly love was evident on both their faces.

"What are you doing here so soon? I didn't expect you for at least another month."

Emmett scratched at the back of his head as if embarrassed as Edward questioned him.

"Uh, yeah, about that . . . I've actually been staying in Port Angeles for the last couple of weeks. I wanted to tell you sooner, but Alice said you were pretty stressed out and that I should probably give you some space. She didn't think you could handle another housemate right now."

"Man, don't listen to Alice. I don't want you living in Chicago any longer than you have to."

"Yeah, I left right after you did. Mom and dad have gone too far this time. I had to get away from them. Have you talked to them? They're pretty upset with the three of us."

Edward peered through the windows into the distance as he answered, "Mom's tried to call a few times. Alice figures she's trying to apologize, but I don't want to hear it right now. They crossed the line with me. I should have stopped listening to them years ago."

I suddenly felt as if I were eavesdropping. As I was about to spin my stool back around, Edward changed the subject. Both his hands clapped down on Emmett's shoulders as his smile returned to his face.

"Emmett, I'd like you to meet someone." Edward removed one hand and gestured towards me. "This is Bella." His smile was heavenly.

I hopped off the stool and walked towards them with my hand extended towards Emmett. His eyes were alive with excitement as he took in my appearance. My outstretched hand was completely ignored as Emmett swept me off my feet in a bone-crushing hug.

"Emmett! Geez, be careful. You'll break her," Edward gushed in my defense.

"I'm not that breakable," I heavily breathed as Emmett sat me back down.

"Do you have any idea the trouble you've caused in my family the past few years?" Emmett asked happily.

"What the hell, Emmett? You don't talk to her like that." Edward punched at one of Emmett's shoulders, but the smile never left Emmett's face.

"I didn't mean it as a bad thing, I swear. If it weren't for you, we'd probably all still be living in Chicago, doing everything mom and dad told us. Who wants to live like that?" Emmett spoke as if I should have known what he meant.

"Emmett," Edward said in warning, calling him off.

"Well, anyway, it's really nice to finally meet you. I gotta say though, you're taking it way too easy on him. You should have made him suffer a little more." Emmett took Angela's available seat and grabbed a menu.

"We're not back together," Edward said before returning to his seat. I followed him and sat down as well. I focused on my folded hands resting on the bar as a wave of unnecessary guilt ripped through me. Emmett whipped his head in Edward's direction, stared at his brother for a minute, then cleared his throat and changed the subject.

"So, what's good here?" he asked awkwardly.

"Everything," answered a deep, husky voice I hadn't heard in months. I looked up to see Jacob Black standing behind the bar, eyeing me suspiciously.

"You're needed in the kitchen," he said before giving Edward a dirty look. He went back to the kitchen before I could say anything. I followed behind him. Rosalie was standing in a corner near the back door, looking nervous.

"What should I do?" she asked hysterically and grabbed my arms.

"Maybe you should go say hi. He's probably going to be around a lot. You can't avoid him forever."

"I don't know . . ."

"Just do it. Rip off the Band-aid."

"I like him!" she admitted before slapping a hand over her mouth in shock. "I can't help it. I know I said I didn't want to see him again, but I can't stop thinking about him." She took a step back and rested against the wall. "This is exactly why girls like me should never do one-night stands. We get attached. I'm so sorry."

"No, sweetie, don't apologize. This is really great! You've got a chance to really move on. You don't pass up chances like this."

"You think?"

I nodded in response.

"Let's go back out there," I said, gesturing towards the front with my head.

"Give me a sec?" she asked and I left her alone to think. As I walked back around the bar, Edward gave me a concerned look.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"I think so," I replied. He looked at me, confused, but I did not clarify.

"Who takes the orders around here?" Emmett asked, looking around. Rose chose that moment to reemerge from the kitchen, carrying a basket full of hot biscuits.

"That would be me," she said and sat the basket down.

Emmett's eyes grew wide when he heard her voice. "Rosie, baby, we meet again!"

A look of horror crossed over her face as her nostrils began to flare. She picked up one of the biscuits and threw it directly at Emmett's face.

"What the hell did you call me?" she yelled before picking up another biscuit and hurling it at him too.

"Whoa!" Emmett yelled as he threw up his arms as a shield for his face.

"I am NOT your baby. Get out of my diner!" Another biscuit took flight towards Emmett. He started scooping them off the floor as she threw another, and he started tossing them back.

His first throw was a poor one, and the biscuit skimmed the side of my head.

"Hey!" I yelled as I leapt up, promptly removing myself from the line of fire. My foot caught on the leg of my stool, and I stumbled backwards and landed on my butt.

"Ow!" I cried out in pain. Edward was immediately on the floor, crouched down beside me.

"Are you alright? That's two falls in one day."

I couldn't answer him, however, as I was overtaken by a fit of laughter. Tears gathered in my eyes as I hugged my stomach and tried to contain myself.

"Cease fire!" Emmett yelled as he sat down beside me. A lone biscuit flew through the air and landed somewhere behind me. Rosalie stood behind the bar, doubled over, as she too began to laugh.

"These women are crazy!" Emmett declared. Edward smiled down at me and shook his head at my child-like behavior. He offered me a hand, and I gladly took it and allowed him to pull me from the floor. He held my hand firmly in his even after I was upright once more, and our bodies were angled towards each other, with only a few inches between us. I felt the blush creep over my face as I stared into his eyes. We were too close, but I couldn't move away.

"Get a room!" Emmett yelled, breaking the spell. Edward released my hand as I stepped away. We three took our seats at the bar again. Rosalie replaced our cold omelets with plates of hot pancakes. Emmett ordered the breakfast platter that consisted of a little bit of everything. We stuffed our faces as Rosalie gave Edward the edited version of how she and Emmett met. Edward was mostly quiet as she spoke, but he seemed happy with her story.

The four of us chatted away that morning about nothing in particular. It was nice hanging out with them without anyone yelling or getting upset. Rosalie had trouble keeping her eyes off Emmett. And Emmett had trouble keeping a goofy grin off his face every time he caught her staring.

We eventually parted ways as the breakfast hour crept near lunch and the diner started filling up with customers. Emmett admitted that he had planned to go visit his siblings before running into Edward. Rosalie pointed out right away that it made more sense for Edward to ride home with Emmett since they were going to the same place anyway. I shot her an evil look for her meddling before waving goodbye to them all. Emmett followed behind me in his pretty blue sports car and honked the horn profusely, no doubt, picking at my slow driving habit.

I was glad with how the morning had progressed. And I was glad that Edward would have a distraction for the day. It would have done me no good to have him with me if I wanted to figure things out. When I got home I shed the clothes I had been wearing and threw on my workout gear. I did what I always did when I needed to think: I ran down the porch steps onto the street and took off running at a fast pace. I had a lot of decisions to make regarding Edward. I needed to figure out where to start. As I rounded the corner of Cherry Street and down my normal running path a smile spread across my face, and for the first time in years, I finally felt as if I could see light at the end of the tunnel.

**A/N: Review, please, and make me a happy girl!**


	13. A Father's Duty

**A/N:**

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**I am oh so sorry it has been so long since the last update. As luck would have it, real life threw some unexpected loops my way and updating _Innocent,_ unfortunately, had to go on the back burner for a little while. With that being said, I believe everything in my life has settled down somewhat and I can get back on track with updating.**

**I have the best readers in the world! Not a single person complained to me for taking so long to update. Thank you all for sticking with me. I really do hate when people take forever to update. I promise it wasn't due to lack of care for you all. Thank you again for reading and being patient with me. A few of you have asked recently if I was going to update and I thank you for that. It was just the push I needed to get my butt in gear.**

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**FF seems to be having issues today. You may notice how more than one word are attached to one another. I tried to fix the issue but FF keeps messing up on me. So, I apologize in advance for any mistakes like that you may find. **

**Ok, since it's been so long since I updated, I input the last few paragraphs from the previous chapter. **

**I won't keep you any longer. Please enjoy!**

_Ending of Ch 12 . . . _

_"Cease fire!" Emmett yelled as he sat down beside me. A lone biscuit flew through the air and landed somewhere behind me. Rosalie stood behind the bar, doubled over, as she too began to laugh._

_"These women are crazy!" Emmett declared. Edward smiled down at me and shook his head at my child-like behavior. He offered me a hand, and I gladly took it and allowed him to pull me from the floor. He held my hand firmly in his even after I was upright once more, and our bodies were angled towards each other, with only a few inches between us. I felt the blush creep over my face as I stared into his eyes. We were too close, but I couldn't move away._

_"Get a room!" Emmett yelled, breaking the spell. Edward released my hand as I stepped away. We three took our seats at the bar again. Rosalie replaced our cold omelets with plates of hot pancakes. Emmett ordered the breakfast platter that consisted of a little bit of everything. We stuffed our faces as Rosalie gave Edward the edited version of how she and Emmett met. Edward was mostly quiet as she spoke, but he seemed happy with her story._

_The four of us chatted away that morning about nothing in particular. It was nice hanging out with them without anyone yelling or getting upset. Rosalie had trouble keeping her eyes off Emmett. And Emmett had trouble keeping a goofy grin off his face every time he caught her staring._

_We eventually parted ways as the breakfast hour crept near lunch and the diner started filling up with customers. Emmett admitted that he had planned to go visit his siblings before running into Edward. Rosalie pointed out right away that it made more sense for Edward to ride home with Emmett since they were going to the same place anyway. I shot her an evil look for her meddling before waving goodbye to them all. Emmett followed behind me in his pretty blue sports car and honked the horn profusely, no doubt, picking at my slow driving habit._

_I was glad with how the morning had progressed. And I was glad that Edward would have a distraction for the day. It would have done me no good to have him with me if I wanted to figure things out. When I got home I shed the clothes I had been wearing and threw on my workout gear. I did what I always did when I needed to think: I ran down the porch steps onto the street and took off running at a fast pace. I had a lot of decisions to make regarding Edward. I needed to figure out where to start. As I rounded the corner of Cherry Street and down my normal running path a smile spread across my face, and for the first time in years, I finally felt as if I could see light at the end of the tunnel._

**Ch 13 – A Father's Duty**

"Hit me," I demanded, and my dad threw another card on the table. It was the queen of spades. _Damn!_

"I quit!" I threw down my 10 of hearts and 5 of clubs with a loud sigh. I hated playing 21 with my dad. He always won.

"Quitter," he accused and took a swig from his beer. He stacked the cards back together and stuffed them in their box.

I rested back in the uncomfortable wooden kitchen chair and stared at my mom's back as she busied herself preparing a cherry pie.

"Need some help, mom?"

"No, sweetie. You're helping enough keeping your father preoccupied. Last thing this pie needs is a finger in it."

"I heard that!" Dad stood from his chair and swatted her on the butt on his way to the refrigerator. She yelped as he retrieved his second beer.

My heart swelled as he wrapped his free arm around her waist and swiftly kissed at her neck. I felt five years old again, as I sat in the kitchen of the house I grew up in, watching my parents flirt. _Some things never change_, I mused. Their love was a constant that I admired greatly. A love surviving the test of time was almost unheard of, but they passed it with what appeared to be little effort. They fought, of course, just like all couples; but it always brought them closer together. Having a child at 18 was no easy task for anyone, least of all them, yet they survived that and still loved one another.

"What's on your mind, kid?" my dad asked as he took his seat across the table from me.

"Edward," I replied and his jaw tightened. "Don't be like that, dad. I need your advice."

"You know how I feel about him, baby girl. He's no good for you."

"I want him."

"I know you do. But he's all you know. You shouldn't settle for someone because they're comfortable. You'll regret it."

"I would never settle. And things are far from comfortable with him right now."

"Bella," he cleared his throat and sat up straight in his chair. Gazing straight into my eyes, he said, "If it weren't for what he put you through, I might be a grandfather today."

"Dad," I gasped in shock that he'd stooped so low.

"Charlie, don't start," mom whispered, keeping her back to us.

"It wasn't his fault. My body just wasn't ready. I –"

"Bullshit!" dad yelled, banging a fist on the table. He frightened me into silence. I could nearly hear my heart rate pick up speed.

"You listen to me, girl," he demanded, pointing a finger at me. "I watched you cry and suffer because of him for weeks. That much stress wasn't good for you. Of course it's his fault! If he hadn't run away at the first sign of trouble you two might be parents right now. He's a coward and in my eyes a murderer."

"Charles Swan, stop it now!" Mom spun around, knocking the bowl of cherry pie filling off the counter. It shattered, causing a mess the color of blood to splatter all over the kitchen.

I jumped from my chair as tears sprang to my eyes and rolled down my cheeks.

"I came over here to ask for advice. But instead, you throw this in my face. You don't get to talk to me about Edward or the baby ever again. You don't get to talk to me about him—." My words faded as a sob escaped me, and I had to grab hold of the table to keep from swaying.

My dad wrapped his arms around me, pulling me to his chest. I struggled against him, trying to break free, but he just held tighter.

"I shouldn't have said that, hun. I'm sorry. I just don't want to see you get hurt again."

"What would you have done if you'd been in his shoes?" I asked as I hugged him once before stepping away. I wiped the tears from my cheeks and sat back down.

"I wouldn't have run away, that's for damn sure. He should have stuck around and tried to find out the truth. He gave up on you too easily."

"His heart was broken. And he was humiliated. I can't say I wouldn't have left if the roles had been reversed."

"Maybe you would have left, but you would have looked into things eventually. You wouldn't have completely turned your back on him until you knew the truth. I know _you_ would have given _him_ a chance to defend himself. But he didn't give you that chance."

I didn't know how to respond because I knew dad was right. After the hurt abated somewhat, why hadn't Edward searched for answers? Had he not wanted to know? Or had he just not cared? Thoughts plagued me of him moving on so quickly. Tanya . . . did he love her? Was she there to ease his pain? My stomach ached at the mere thought of another woman.

"I want you to be happy, hun. That's all I've ever wanted for you." My dad's words were sincere as he returned to his seat and reached a hand across the table to pat one of mine.

"That's all I want, too. I'm not going to make any decisions without thinking it through first. I promise."

"But you've already made up your mind, haven't you?" The disappointment was evident in his voice.

"I'm not sure," I admitted. I wasn't sure at all how things would turn out. Despite what anyone thought, I had not given up on myself. I knew deep down in my gut that I would have eventually moved on from Edward had he not reappeared in my life. But I also knew that, while I may have become content with someone else, I would never have been fully happy. True happiness in love doesn't come around often. But it had come for me once. It had knocked me off my feet, swept me away, and changed my heart forever. Why wouldn't I fight to keep that? Yes, things needed to change for me and for Edward, but I wouldn't turn away from him without giving us a fighting chance. I wished with all my heart that he had started fighting sooner, but I had no idea what he really went through while he was away.

"You need to butt out, Charlie," mom proclaimed as she stood from the floor where she'd been wiping up her mess. She discarded the dirty napkins in the waste bin and began pulling ingredients from the cupboard. "No one knows Edward's side of the story. I'm not defending him, but he deserves to at least defend himself before we start calling him names. Now, what do you think of having peach pie instead? We haven't had peach in awhile." And just like that the subject was dropped. I stared in awe at my mother, for she had never been a rational thinker. Yet, there she was, being the mature adult in my situation. My dad merely grunted in response before grabbing his beer and heading for the living room. Seconds later, the sounds of some sporting event on television flowed through the house.

I left after that, eager to get home. I'd decided on spending that Sunday with my parents after we finished breakfast at the diner. When I had first arrived at their house I filled them in on the events that had transpired that morning. Mistakenly, I told them about the break-in at Peter's apartment. Charlie was livid that Peter had not called the police. He eventually decided it was Edward's fault the police were not involved. When I tried to argue, my dad simply held up a hand as if to say, 'I don't want to hear it.' My dad concluded to have a talk with Peter. Getting my dad involved made me uneasy. I didn't want anyone else in my life going near the investigation when someone had already been hurt.

The sky was painted with shades of orange and pink, marking the end of a rare sunny day. I pulled my truck into my driveway, not bothering with the garage, and turned off the ignition. A sense of guilt loomed over me as I walked towards my front porch. I knew my father's words held meaning and truth, even if I didn't quite agree with all of it. A part of me had always held blame over Edward for the loss of our baby. If I hadn't been under so much stress I may have realized sooner that I was pregnant and started taking better care of myself. But, as it was, I'd been too grief-stricken to notice my missed period.

But Edward was no murderer. He'd wanted kids almost more than I had. Becoming a father was one of the things he was looking forward to most. Dad had gone too far when he chose that specific description for Edward. The miscarriage was the one part of my past I had purposely put to the back of my mind when mentally listing topics Edward and I had to discuss. I didn't know how to approach the subject when I wasn't even sure if forgiveness was something I could grant. I would have done everything to protect my baby.

The miscarriage was heavy on my mind as I climbed the steps leading to my front door. As I was pulling my house key from my pocket, my name being called from across the street caught my attention.

"Bella!" Edward yelled as he ran across my lawn. "You forgot this yesterday," he said and handed me a black photo album. My eyes widened in fear as I realized I had forgotten about leaving the photos behind. So much had happened over that weekend that I completely forgot about the album.

"I didn't look at it," he said as I practically snatched the album away from him. "I wanted to though," he admitted sheepishly.

"That's some self-control ya got there," I sarcastically droned as I hid the pictures behind my back for safe keeping.

Edward's crooked smile appeared as he ran a hand through his unruly hair."I didn't want to give you any more ammunition to hate me." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stared down at me.

"I don't hate you," I said and turned my back to him to unlock the door.

"Can I ask you something?" he asked just as I stepped inside. I kept the book behind my back as I turned back around. I leaned against the door jamb, silently telling Edward I wasn't going to invite him in.

"Ok."

"Can I take you out to dinner tonight? Please? I _have_ to explain some things to you. I know, I know, I'm supposed to be giving you some space, but that's meaningless if you don't have the whole story."

"Story about what?" I asked, confused, as I tried to steer the conversation away from his invitation.

"Me. My time in Chicago. I know what you think happened. Let me clear my name, please."

_Damn him_. I had too many questions about that particular topic to turn him down. "Fine. When?"

"Seriously?" He was smiling crookedly again and flashing those emerald green eyes, causing an eye roll from me. He was too charming for his own good. I caved instantly under his gaze."Tonight. Let's go to Port Angeles. There's an Italian restaurant I want to take you to. It's small so we should have some privacy."

"I don't know, Edward. I have school tomorrow. It's the first day. I need to make sure I'm prepared for class. Maybe we should wait until next weekend—."

"Let's go early then. We can go right now if you'd like. Have you had lunch?"

_No. My dad's ranting ran me off before I could eat_, I thought.

_Should I go?_ I pondered. It was early enough in the day that I could afford a few hours to dwell on whatever he admitted to me and still prepare for work the next day.

"Give me 10 minutes. I need to freshen up real quick."

Edward exhaled noisily as if he'd been holding his breath, waiting for my answer. "I'll go change then and meet you back here. Thank you for this." He spoke as he walked backwards with grace down the steps and onto the grass. I smiled nervously at him before shutting the door. I took my time walking up the stairs, unsure of what I was doing. I tried hard not to think about spending time alone with Edward while I pilfered through my closet, looking for something suitable for a lunch date with my ex-boyfriend.

I decided on a white cotton sun dress and my pink short-sleeved cardigan. I felt pretty but not overdressed. I pulled down my pony tail and ran my hands through my hair, loosening the large curls that had formed. After applying some light lip gloss I slipped on a pair of black ballet flats and wandered down stairs. The clock on my DVD player in the living room flashed 12:22, noting I'd actually taken 17 minutes to get ready.

_Oh, well. He kept me waiting five years. A few minutes won't kill him._

My slow actions didn't go unnoticed by myself as I took my time locking the door behind me. I just couldn't be sure I was doing the right thing. My self-control was diminishing quickly around him. I didn't want to accept him back in my life without thoroughly thinking of all the repercussions first.

"You look pretty," he whispered in my ear as he held open the passenger door of the Volvo for me. The blush creeping up my face was enough of a reply as I slid into my seat. He was around the car and climbing into his own seat before I could even take a proper breath.

"Nervous?" he asked as he pulled the car out onto the street.

"Am I that obvious?"

"You're quiet."

"We have a lot we need to talk about."

"I know," he replied, sadly. "Where should we start?"

"The baby," I whispered and peered out my window onto the rainy landscape that flashed by as he drove. His loud sigh told me he'd heard me.

"If I hadn't been so stressed, the baby may have lived."

"I know," he repeated quietly.

"Have you read my entire medical chart? Did you read about the miscarriage?"

"Yes." A look of guilt washed over his face. I continued on, however, before I lost my nerve.

"And what did it say?"

"The doctor who examined you noted that it was a common miscarriage. There were no major health issues that could have caused it. You were perfectly healthy. It shouldn't have happened. His only concerns were your anemia and your weight. But anemia is common during pregnancy. And you weren't even considered underweight. Just close."

I nodded my head as he spoke. I remembered the doctor talking to me about all of that. He couldn't give me a reason as to why I'd lost the baby, other than it happened more often than people realized. He kept telling me it was no one's fault and that my body just wasn't ready. I'd most likely have no problem conceiving and carrying to full term in the future. The doctor said it was no one's fault, but that was something I'd never know to actually be true or not. _Could I let that go?_

"A part of me blames you."

"You should blame me. I blame myself."

We both grew quiet after that as the ball was in my court, but I couldn't think of what to say. I kept my eyes on the road as he drove. What did I want? Did I want him to leave again? Get out of my life? I knew the answer to that immediately. If I had wanted him gone, I wouldn't have been riding in a car with him on our way to share a meal in a romantic restaurant.

"Do you still want to have children?" I asked, unsure of where the question came from.

"Of course I do. Now more than ever."

"What do you mean?"

"Knowing that we'd been so close. And knowing that you can still have children. I'd do anything to give you that. To have a family with you." He answered as if I were his only means to have kids. He wasn't even considering a life without me. The thought of us conceiving again had me smiling involuntarily.

I sighed heavily at my reactions to him. My emotions ran hot then cold around him. One minute I wanted him far away from me, and the next I wanted him closer than he'd ever been. But I had to get my emotions in check and make a decision once and for all. I couldn't take much more of the emotional roller coaster. I made up my mind not to look too far into the future until I heard all he intended to tell me over lunch. I chose not to continue the conversation of having a family with him, instead deciding on silence once more.

When we arrived at the restaurant I was pleased to find the parking lot mostly empty. It was mid-afternoon, and the lunch rush had most likely just ended. Thankfully we'd have some privacy in case the conversations turned ugly. I hoped he wouldn't provoke a screaming fit out of me.

Edward, being the gentleman that he was, held my door open for me and followed close behind as we entered the restaurant. We were seated right away towards the back of the dining room, thankfully. Because the restaurant wasn't busy, we had a pick of booths and tables. Without consulting with me, Edward chose a booth with one of those large rounded benches. As I slid in behind the table, Edward moved in beside me until both of us were seated in the middle with only a few inches of free space between us. He'd chosen that table on purpose.

Our orders were taken right away and our drinks were delivered in a prompt manner, leaving us alone for a long moment before our food arrived.

"I brought you here for a reason, Bella," Edward began as he turned to face me in our secluded booth.

"I know. You wanted to tell me about Chicago?"

"Yes, I do. I've allowed you to be misinformed long enough, and I apologize for that. You have the wrong impression of my time there, and I need to clear that up."

"This is about Tanya?" I asked, and an unwelcome cringe shot through me at the mention of her.

"That's right, but it's also about my parents. I need to start off by saying that there was no romantic relationship between me and Tanya."

_Wait. What?_

"So you used her? For sex, is that right?" I asked, horrified. _How could he?_

"What? No! Good God, Bella, is that what you think of me? You know me better than that. I never touched Tanya. At least not like that. She kissed me once and that's what caused me to end things with her."

"I don't understand. You were seeing her but it wasn't romantic? That makes no sense, Edward." I busied myself by unrolling my silverware and placing my napkin in my lap. I fiddled with my utensils, trying to ward off the urge to slap him.

"It was a set-up between our parents. For social reasons. I needed a distraction so I was helping my father and her father on a business venture of theirs. Look, I need to start from the beginning so you'll understand fully. Please?" He looked at me with pleading eyes. I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest before nodding my head for him to continue.

"My mom and Irina, Tanya's mom, grew up together. They'd been best friends since grade school. They both come from 'old money' and were brought up a little differently than normal kids. They attended balls and charity parties; birthday parties for governors' kids. You know, it was the type of life I was running away from when you and I first met.

"Anyway, when you come from that lifestyle certain things are expected of you. When my mom met my dad, he was instantly accepted into the family. His dad and my mom's dad were both Harvard alumni. They came from the same type of family. Around the same time Irina met Michael, who was alsofrom 'old money'. Both couples were matches made in society heaven. But Michael was never as successful as my dad. My parents began climbing the social ladder pretty quickly, whereas Michael and Irina did not. They all remained friends, though. My mom wouldn't dream of living without Irina.

I reached for my soda and took several sips, trying to keep myself focused on something I could somewhat control. I had no idea the direction the conversation was heading. Edward had already shared enough information with me to take days for me to mentally process. I wiped my hands on my napkin resting in my lap and tried to return my attention back to Edward as he continued on.

"Tanya and I were born the same year, and so we were raised just like our moms were. We did everything together as kids. For the longest time it was me, Tanya, and Emmett. Alice and Kate, Tanya's younger sister, were born around the same time as well. They were friends for awhile but Alice has always had her own way of living and doing things. She and Kate grew apart during middle school, I think.

"Tanya and I hung out all through school. Our moms had this ridiculous idea that we'd get married one day. They talked about it _all _the time. I'd just shrug it off because Tanya knew I didn't like her in that way. I had girlfriends all through high school, and Tanya was never one of them. I was just never interested in her.

"When I graduated from high school, mom really started pushing a relationship with Tanya. It's what drove me to Washington. I needed space to clear my head. My dad was furious with me for not going to Harvard."

Edward paused to sip at his soda just as our food arrived.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" the waitress asked in a sultry tone, her body turned towards Edward, obviously ignoring my presence.

"Bella?" Edward nodded at me, giving me a chance to answer her question. The waitress turned towards me, reluctance evident as she glared at me.

"I think we're good. Thanks." Sarcasm seeped off each word.

"Ok. Just let me know," she replied to Edward, once again seeming to forget I existed. Edward's affect on women had obviously not changed much. I rolled my eyes as I imagined throwing my napkin at the woman while she walked away from our table. Edward appeared oblivious to the whole interaction with her as he stared at me as if asking permission to continue where he left off. I nodded my head, silently telling him to keep going.

Both plates were left untouched in front of us as he continued.

"Anyway, to get to the point, when I went back to Chicago, Tanya was there for me, as a friend. I was a mess for awhile. I drank a lot. I must have been drunk my first six months after leaving Seattle. When you and I were together my mom tried convincing me all the time that you were after my money. I hated that she was right. Or, well, that I thought she was right. Thank God she wasn't. But my parents started harping on me to get over you once and for all and to move on.

Edward ran his hands down his face, an action he often did when aggravated. He turned his plate around, as if trying to decide what bite to take first. He unrolled his silverware but left them on the table as he took a deep breath. I watched as he exhaled loudly before picking up his fork. He positioned it over his plate before setting it down again, and started talking once more.

"One night Tanya was out with some of her friends and found me drunk, sitting at the bar at some club. She drove me home and helped me sober up. She was a good friend to me for a really long time. She was even dating someone for . . . I don't know . . . a year and a half after I returned to Chicago. His name was Eric. They seemed to be in love. I hung out with him a few times even.

"And during all that time I'd managed to somehow pick myself up off the ground and try to move on. I'd gotten a job at the ER in the same hospital as my dad. But I didn't date. At all. I just couldn't. I'd made up my mind to never date again. I just wasn't up for it anymore. I threw myself into work.

"One night Tanya and I were having dinner at my parents' place. Her parents were there, too. Michael started talking to my dad about a business he was starting up and wanted my dad's help. Irina mentioned that having the Cullen name attached to the business would look good to the public.

"Everyone trusted the Cullen name and would trust the Denali name, too, if the Denali family were attached to the Cullen family. My dad agreed to invest in the company, so Tanya and I started hanging out together more in public, for social reasons only. I went along with it because I didn't really see the harm. Tanya knew, or so I thought, that there were no romantic feelings between us. But she broke things off with Eric, freeing her up to spend even more time with me.

Edward's jaw tightened as he cleared this throat. He leaned his head back and glared at the ceiling. When he focused once more on the table he took a big gulp from his soda before setting the glass harshly back on the table causing some of its contents to spill over.

"And behind my back, she and Irina and my mother were planning our wedding." He was seething as he spoke through his teeth. His anger was evident in his clipped tone. He voice rose as he continued to speak.

"Tanya lied to them and told them we'd been talking about marriage but said I didn't want anyone to know until I officially proposed. We were at a charity event one night at my parents' house. The entire town was there, it seemed. At least, everyone who was important was there."

He chuckled humorlessly and rolled his eyes. I knew he hated the lifestyle his parents lived. It shocked me that he'd complied at all with his parents' little plan. I continued to sit quietly as Edward took a deep breath, and said, "And right in front of everyone Tanya kissed me." I gasped at his admission. I wasn't prepared to hear of anything physical between them.

Edward ignored my sudden shock, which I assumed was in attempt to get everything out before he got too angry. "I tried to go along with it until I could get her alone and figure out what she was doing. But before I could, my mom announced our engagement to the entire party. I was so furious with Tanya and my mom. I took off and went back to my and Alice's apartment. Alice had been at the party, too, and stayed just long enough to get all the details from Tanya.

"Alice came home and asked me why I'd kept my relationship with Tanya a secret. We argued about it for awhile until Alice believed me that I didn't have feelings for Tanya. And then Tanya showed up and gave me an ultimatum: marry her or lose her. So I told her to hit the road. She started yelling, and somehow your name got thrown into the mix. She started talking about how pathetic I was for still being in love with you. I hadn't mentioned your name to my family in almost four years. I ended up defending you that night, before Tanya left. It was just a crazy, messed up night.

"I haven't spoken to my parents since then. It was just a few days later that Alice told me she was moving to Forks. So, there ya go. You know now that I've not been with anyone since you. I just couldn't do it."

Speechless. I was utterly speechless. I shoved mushroom ravioli into my mouth to give me something to focus on while I tried to make sense of what I'd just heard.

"Hang on," I started and quickly swallowed my food. "When you were at my house for breakfast the other day you said you'd been seeing someone. Why did you say that?"

Edward seemed to suddenly remember his plate of food in front of him and started shoveling lasagna into his mouth, clearly avoiding the question. I dropped my fork with a loud clank and gave him a menacing glare.

With a sigh he turned to look at me, and I could nearly feel the guilt rolling off him in waves. I knew the look he'd thrust upon me at that moment. It was the same look he'd always given me when he'd done something I'd disapprove of. It was a look that said, 'I'm sorry. Forgive me.'

"I wanted to get a reaction out of you. I'm sorry. I still wasn't sure about what was going on. I didn't expect you to start throwing things at me." The last part came out as a mumble as he began eating again.

"You are such a jackass," I said before resting my back against the bench, no longer in the mood to eat.

"I'm sorry, alright. You were being so back and forth with me. I wanted to know how you felt about me; if I could still elicit any type of reaction at all from you."

"Well, congratulations! I hope you got what you wanted!" Sarcasm rang heavily in my every word. Men could be so difficult. "I'm not like other women, Edward. You know that. I don't play those games."

"I know, I know. But you seem so different now. I just wanted to know if you had any feelings at all left for me."

I shook my head at his stupidity and began eating again.

"I never could understand why your parents hated me."

"You weren't part of their plan for me."

"Clearly."

"They didn't approve because _I_ chose you. They had no say in the matter. I'd already rejected Harvard and moved away from home. I guess they saw my romantic life as their last chance to control me.

"Bella," he said suddenly and grabbed both my hands that were resting in my lap. "Tell me now if we can fix this. I need to know. Tell me what I have to do. Please."

"Edward, I . . . I don't know what to say. I just . . . need to think. My mind is reeling right now. Everything you've told me today. Why can't we just go back in time and fix everything? That's what I want. I want to find out who set me up. I wanna know what I did to deserve all this."

"You did nothing wrong. It was James. He was always so jealous of me."

"I don't know . . . I think there's more to it than that. I feel like I was targeted just as much as you were."

"We may never know why it all happened or who did it, for that matter. Peter just suspects James. There could be others involved. Do you really want us to waste anymore time apart because of what happened five years ago? Bella, I'd do anything to change it all, to take back all those things I said to you. But I can't. I do want to be with you, though. We deserve happiness."

I nodded my head in understanding, but I couldn't respond. We finished eating our meal over small talk. Edward never brought up the subject again of us getting back together. I knew the car ride home would be another story. When we got in the car and headed back towards Forks I spoke first to hold him off a little while longer.

"You didn't date at all? Not even a one night stand? I figured you'd be in a hurry to forget all about me."

"I _was_ in a hurry to forget all about you. But it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. I saw you everywhere, in everyone. I kept telling myself it was too soon to date. Before I knew it five years had passed and the closest I'd been to dating was having dinner with Tanya and her parents. And, like I said, I wasn't interested in Tanya."

"I thought you two were . . . ya know—."

"I know what you thought. I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression."

"I wasn't with anyone else either," I admitted. I didn't see the need to bring up Demetri. I wouldn't allow myself to feel guilty for that.

"I kind of assumed as much after what Angela said at breakfast yesterday."

"Yeah, she made me sound pathetic." I frowned without meaning to.

"No, she didn't. She is protective of you. As any good friend would be. I imagine most of the people in your life would rather walk across hot coals than see you with me."

"That's probably true."Edward chuckled at my response, surprising me. "You don't care that my family doesn't like you?"

"Your friends and family are the least of my worries right now, Bella. All I'm concerned with is getting you back. I'll deal with everyone else later."

"You know I can't give you an answer tonight, Edward."

"I figured as much. But that's not going to stop me from asking." He turned towards me and flashed me a smile before facing the road once more. By the time he pulled his car into my driveway the air between us was calm and comforting. I was glad to not feel strained around him. How would I ever make a decision if I couldn't even be around him?

"Can I walk you to your door?" he asked in a low whisper.

"Ok."

I got out of the car before he could walk to my side and open the door for me. The sun was starting to set, casting long, gloomy shadows across the lawn. I'd forgotten to leave the porch light on, causing darkness to encircle me as I approached my front door. It wasn't too dark, however, to make out the fine features of Edward's face. I leaned back against the door as he stood in front of me, only a few inches separating us.

"Thank you for going with me today," he said softly as he grabbed one of my hands and brought it to his mouth. He kissed the back of my hand sweetly before lowering it, but did not let go.

"Thank you for buying me lunch." I squeezed his hand to let him know I was glad for the physical contact. He smiled in response.

"I love you," he whispered as he stared into my eyes. I smiled despite the butterflies that began fluttering freely within me. Edward inched closer, slowly, and before I could form a coherent thought or response to his admission, his lips were pressing softly against mine. A low moan vibrated up from my chest, and I was motionless. Noticing my rigidness, Edward stopped his movements. And without thinking it through I stood on my tiptoes and returned the gesture. A mere peck on the lips was all I gave him before pulling away. His forehead rested against mine, and I could practically feel his smile.

"I love you, Bella. Please, come back to me. I'll spend the rest of my life making up for all the hurt I caused you."

Edward's words were full of strength and promise. I leaned away from him and placed a hand on his cheek. "And until I can be with you without wanting you to prove yourself to me, we can't be together. I don't want to be with someone who needs to spend the rest of his life trying to make up for the past. Until I can fully let go of everything that happened between us, I won't make you any promises. But, I think I can offer something. Take things slow with me. I won't push you away anymore, but please take things at my pace. Does what I'm saying make any sense? Do you agree at all?"

He leaned his face into my palm, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath before answering. "It does. I'd do anything for you to forgive me. I don't want you to resent me forever. And I know we can't just jump back in to anything. I'll go as slow as you need. I'll do whatever you ask."

"Let's just take this very slowly. One day at a time. Ok?"

"Ok."

"Now go home. I have to get ready for work tomorrow." I pushed at his chest to give us some distance. With a chuckle, he backed away and practically skipped down the steps and to his car. I waved as he backed away from the house and pulled his car into his own driveway. I watched through the impending darkness for him to enter his own home before I turned and went into mine.

As much as I wanted to dwell on the feel of his lips on mine again, I knew I could not. I put all thoughts of Edward out of my mind and went to work preparing for the first day of school the next day. I sat at my desk in my office until almost midnight making last-minute changes for my introductions with my new students. I read and reread over my lesson plans for the first week.

Eventually, I dragged myself to bed where I allowed myself to give my date with Edward the thinking time it deserved. As soon as I rested my head against my pillow and closed my eyes, I could picture him coming towards me; I could feel his lips on mine. It had been so long. So terribly long since we'd kissed. Touched. I ached for him in ways I never knew I could. My body and mind yearned for him. The feelings that coursed through me when he kissed me was much different than what I'd felt when I was with Demetri.

With Demetri it was pure lust. My mind did all the talking and moving with him. And if I were being entirely honest with myself, I'd somewhat used Demetri as a form of silent revenge against Edward. Silent because I never actually intended to make him aware of my one night stand – if one could even call my encounter with Demetri as such.

My mind and body were too tired to allow much time to be spent on Edward before I fell asleep. Just as I was about to try to decipher what 'taking things slowly' with Edward actually meant, my eyelids grew heavy.

The alarm clock buzzed at 4:30 and I jerked awake, feeling disoriented. Four and a half hours of sleep weren't nearly enough for the first day of school. But I made myself get up anyway and dress for my morning run. Because school was starting back, Rose and I had put a stop to yoga class. It was a luxury I indulged in only during school breaks. I was somewhat glad of that, however, as a plan that involved my morning run sprang to mind as I was getting dressed.

Halfway through lacing up my sneakers, I jogged over to my nightstand and grabbed my cellphone. I scrolled through the contacts until I got to the letter E and chose Edward's name. We'd finally exchanged phone numbers during our lunch the previous day, both of us thinking how strange it was not having the other listed in our phones.

I quickly typed out a text message.

**Bella 4:42 a.m.**

**Are you awake?**

**Edward 4:43 a.m.**

**Just woke up. U ok?**

**Bella 4:44 a.m.**

**Going for a run. Care to join?**

**Edward 4:45 a.m.**

**Love to. Be ready in 5 minutes. **

**Bella 4:46 a.m.**

**I'll meet you by your car.**

I put my phone back on the table before he could respond and ran downstairs. I poured myself a glass of water and took several swigs before placing the cup in the sink and making my way to the front door. I walked with ease across the street, thankful the butterflies in my stomach were not present. I had barely made it over to his house before Edward was walking out the front door.

"That was fast," I said as he walked to meet me. He just shrugged his shoulders before he began doing his leg stretches. I rolled my eyes.

"You'll be sorry you didn't stretch," he said as he continued on.

"I never stretch. Haven't for five years. I think I'll be fine."

"Suit yourself. Just don't come crying to me when I'm right and you have pulled a muscle."

"Who am I supposed to go crying to, then? You are my doctor after all."

Edward stood up straight then and gave me a serious look. "You better not even think of calling anyone else. I think I remember a thing or two about how to help you loosen up your muscles." I gasped at his choice of words and felt the blush creep up my neck and cheeks. He chuckled and walked around me, heading for the road.

"Wanna race?" I offered as I joined him on the road.

"Let's start out slow. Besides, we both know who will win anyway."

"We'll see about that." But I followed his lead and started out slowly. It wasn't long before we were nearly sprinting. I never cared before to have a running partner, but having Edward beside me seemed right. Rose had run with me a few times, but it was clear, early on, that she saw running time as gossip time. I wanted to move too fast to be able to talk. I had to cut her loose after three days. Edward, however, was quiet as we ran. Neither of us spoke much as we followed my regular route. Edward ran with ease, as if he'd been running the path as long as I had.

"Same time tomorrow?" I offered as I leaned against the Volvo watching him stretch, yet again.

"Works for me. Good luck with school today."

"Thanks. I'm kind of nervous. The first day of school never gets any less nerve racking for me."

"I'm sure you'll do fine. I feel sorry for the boys in your classes though. I'd have been in so much trouble if I'd had a teacher that looked like you."

"Enough with the flirting, mister," I yelled out as I walked backwards across the street. His lips pulled up on one side, teasing me with his crooked grin. He knew exactly what that would do to me.

Later that morning I was late getting to the diner and ended up having to take my breakfast to-go. Chalking up my tardiness to first day of school stress, I hurried out of the diner with a promise to arrive early the next day. A warm blush crept up my cheeks, however, as I spat out the lie, earning me a pointed look from Rosalie. Despite having been caught, I was glad to have earned some time before I dropped the bomb of allowing Edward back in my life. After all that had transpired in my life over the previous several weeks, Rosalie had been the most understanding of anyone. I knew if I begged hard enough, she'd take it easy on me. And although Angela was apparently extremely bitter about Edward's mere presence, I knew I could handle her. Pregnancy hormones aside, she was normally a very well-tempered individual. Hopefully I could summon that side of her. My mom had already shared with me her hopes of Edward and me patching things up.

Charlie would be the hardest to convince. He had made up his mind a long time before that Edward was no good. Proving he was wrong would be a challenge – one I'd have to accept if I was serious about moving forward with Edward. And deep in my heart I knew that I was.

I was taken over with equal parts excitement and nervousness as I pulled my car into the parking lot of Forks High School. As if he could sense that about me, Jasper was leaning against his car, waiting, with two cups of coffee in his hands.

"Good morning, darlin," he happily spoke as he handed me one of the cups.

"Thank you! And good morning to you, too. Excited about today?"

"I suppose so. The first day of school never really bothered me much. Maybe it's a guy thing . . . ." he mused and opened the door of the school for me.

"So, how are things with Alice?" The question was out of my mouth before I'd thought it through.

"Oh . . . well, yeah, ummm, good. Things are good."

"Good."

We were silent as we walked the halls to our corner of the school. An awkward tension swirled in the air between us – one that I didn't like. I was eager to fix it. I figured Jasper must have been consumed with guilt for even speaking to Alice. Jasper was as loyal as a person could get. I needed to set him straight before he let it bother him for too long. Just as I was about to speak, he placed a hand on my shoulder, stopping me.

"Look, I am truly sorry for not speaking to you first before I asked Alice to have dinner with me. I should have at least told you of my plans before I carried through. That would have been the respectable thing to do. But I saw her and I couldn't stop myself."

"Jasper, you have nothing to apologize for. Alice and I never dated. So, it's ok. I'm glad you found someone you like."

"Thank you. I still should have talked to you first."

"No, you shouldn't have. We're not in high school anymore."

He cocked an eyebrow at my statement before looking around him in mock amusement.

"Shut up. You know what I mean," I said and began walking again.

We parted ways at our classroom doors and promised to meet up for lunch. I put down my bag at my desk and began pulling out the supplies I'd brought along with me. All too soon the first bell of the day sounded and students began filing into my class.

Chit chat from the students filled the air as everyone took a seat. Several students stopped by my desk to say hello before sitting down. As Forks was a small town, I knew several of my students already, though I had never taught them before. It was something I both loved and hated about Forks.

"Good morning," a lanky, tanned skin boy said to me just as I'd turned my back on the class to read over instructions I'd previously written on the board.

"Seth, good morning. I'm glad to have you in my class."

"Yeah, me too. My dad told me to tell you hi."

"Tell him hello for me."

I watched Seth for a moment as he took his seat and silently thanked God that he didn't seem to share his sister's animosity for me. Thoughts of Leah and Jacob filled my mind, and I reminded myself that I needed to speak with him and try to make amends. And hopefully talk to him when Leah wasn't around.

The second bell of the morning brought me out of my thoughts and into the present. I put down the pen I'd been holding and walked to the front of the class. With my shoulders back and my head held high I welcomed my first class of the year and jumped right in to our first lesson.

"These potatoes have a funky smell," Angela said, as she watched in disgust as a bit of mashed potatoes fell from her fork landing on her lunch tray with a gross sounding splat.

"Yeah," I agreed and pushed my tray away from me. "I'm bringing our lunch tomorrow."

"Oooh, make your chicken salad. Please, please, please?"

"Ok, ok, back off Preggo. I'll bring the salad." I couldn't help but giggle at her obvious cravings. I reached over and rubbed her belly and was pleasantly surprised when I felt a sudden movement beneath my hand.

"Oh my God! He kicked me!" I exclaimed with joy. Angela beamed at me and moved my hand to a different part of her stomach. I was thrilled to feel the kick again. "That's so cool," I said in awe as I pulled away and sat up straight in my chair. "You're one lucky lady."

"Blessed. Not lucky. Your time is coming too. You'll be a mommy one day, and our kids can have play dates. We just need to find you a man first."

My cheeks reddened immediately at her words, giving me away.

"Unless, of course, you've already found one." Her tone changed in an instant from one of pride to one of anger.

As much as I wanted to look down in defeat, I stared her in the eyes instead. "Don't start this today, please. And here is not the place for this conversation."

"Conversation about what?" Alice asked as she plopped down in a seat across the table from us. She placed a bag of Doritos in front of each of us that she'd obviously purchased from the vending machine.

"Bella was just about to tell me how she and your brother are getting back together."

"That's not what I—."

"Yay!" Alice squealed and ran around the table to hug me. "Edward said you two were taking things slow. That he wasn't sure if you were getting back together. When did this happen? Was it this morning while you guys went running?"

"So, that's why you were late for breakfast!" Angela accused and stood from her seat. She snatched up her chips and was about to walk away when I stopped her.

"Angela, sit down," I said sternly, earning me a shocked look from her. She obeyed without giving me any trouble.

"You, too!" I said to Alice and she took her seat as well.

"Edward and I are not back together. However, we are spending time together. He and I have a lot to work through. We are taking things slow and if it all goes the way I hope it does, then yes, maybe we will be together again one day. One day far down the road. Now, I would appreciate it," I looked directly at Angela as I spoke, "if I was given just a little bit of courtesy and respect from you. Dad's going to give me enough hell as it is and I really need my friends through this. Please don't hate me. This is my life and my decision."

"Ok," Angela whispered. I could see tears forming in her eyes, but I was too upset to comfort her.

"All I could find was a pack of Oreos. I guess we'll just have to split them." Jasper joined us then placing the cookies on the table and opening his bag of chips Alice had bought for him. He was oblivious to the conversation the girls and I had just finished.

"Jasper, does Peter plan to have lunch with you soon?" I asked, changing topics before Angela could start crying.

"I told him not to. I don't want him upsetting you."

"He won't upset me. I forgave him."

Jasper shook his head at my admission. "You give in too easily to him, Bella. It's a shame things didn't work out with you two." Alice punched Jasper hard in the shoulder causing him to jump in surprise. She shot him a dirty look. Jasper mumbled, "Sorry," before focusing on his chips and cookies.

The four of us continued our lunch in an odd silence, with Jasper and Angela likely feeling chastised, and Alice and me feeling betrayed by them. I could see in Alice's measly punch to Jasper's arm that she held high hope of me reuniting with her brother.

"I'm going to tell my parents and Rose about you and me this morning," I said, as I stopped mid run to catch my breath. Edward stopped a few feet ahead of me and turned around.

"Is there a you and me?" He sounded hopeful.

"Well, I'm going to tell them that you and I are spending time together . . . and talking about . . . things. I just thought I should tell them so I don't cause any heart attacks if anyone was to see us together. And I thought I should give you a heads up in case my dad doesn't take it too well."

Edward stood before me, seeming to contemplate my words. "Your dad scares the hell out of me!" His admission had me laughing all the way back to Cherry Street. Edward walked me to my door that morning, as we debated whether or not my dad would come looking for him after breakfast.

"I'm going to do my best to make sure he behaves himself," I said as I approached my front door.

"I wouldn't blame him if he didn't behave. I'd be upset too, if I were him."

"Please stop hating yourself, Edward. You have to stop."

He ran his hands down his face before running them through his hair. "That's a hard request you're making."

"It's not a request. I'm demanding it. Things will never workout if you are constantly putting yourself down."

He nodded his head in acknowledgement before taking a step closer to me. My eyes widened as I wondered if he was going to kiss me again. My heart rate accelerated in anticipation, but he pressed his lips quickly against my cheek instead before walking away. Halfway across the yard he yelled a promise to see me the next morning.

Inside the house, I rushed to get ready for the day, not wanting to be late a second day in a row. And since Angela knew of my plans with Edward, I wanted to get to the diner before she did, out of fear she'd spill the beans before I got a chance to.

I took my time getting out of my car and walking to the doors of the diner. I could see Rosalie inside chatting away with my parents, a smile on her face as she talked. Everyone seemed in a good mood as I approached the bar and took my seat.

"Nice of you to join us," Rose said sarcastically before winking at me. She was being playful, and I was glad. It made me hopeful as I took a deep breath and spouted off the first think I could think of.

"Edward and I kissed." I slapped a hand over my mouth, appalled at myself for choosing _that _as my starting point.

"Excuse me?" Charlie yelled, and placed his coffee cup down with a thud, causing liquid to leak over the sides.

"What I meant to say, was that Edward and I are spending some time together and trying to talk through things. We're taking it slow. And, no, we are not back together."

"And talking things through entails making out?" Charlie was livid as he continued to yell at me.

"We didn't make out, dad. Sheesh. We kissed one time. That's it. I just thought I'd let you all know a little about what was going on. And I'll tell you just like I told Angela – this is my life. I want some privacy while I sort this all out. It's no secret how I feel about Edward. Before I completely walk away from him I'd like to see if we could be something again. I know some of you do not agree with my choices, but there ya go. Take it or leave it. It doesn't matter what you think because I am a big girl and I make my own decisions. I would like some support though. I may need a shoulder to cry on."

"You know we are all here for you, dear," mom said as she elbowed my dad in the ribs. He sat motionless, however, no doubt mulling over all I had just said.

"She's right. You know I'll never turn my back on you." Rosalie spoke in a whisper and kept her eyes on my dad the whole time. "Besides, Emmett's already talking about us all going on a double date."

Rosalie's mood hadn't been affected by what I'd admitted. She smiled brightly at me as she mentioned Emmett. Her mood was not infectious however, because seconds later my dad rose so fast from his stool that it fell backwards and loudly crashed to the floor. Charlie was out the door seconds later. I jumped from my seat and ran after him.

"Dad! Dad? Will you stop?" I yelled as I followed him across the street to where his cruiser was parked.

"I can't condone this, Bella. I can't support you on this. I won't."

"Daddy, please. I need you. I don't want to fight over him. Please, don't turn away from me."

"I will always be here for you. I'll always be your father. And as your father it is my duty to try to keep you away from people who will hurt you. He's no good for you, baby girl. He's already caused you too much damage. He doesn't deserve a second chance."

I was too hurt to stop him, and he got into his car and pulled away. I couldn't stop the tears that ran down my cheeks as I stood in the street, unsure of what to do with myself. It was moments like that that made me unsure of what exactly I was doing with Edward. I didn't want to lose Edward for a second time, but I couldn't lose my father.

My mother's arms wrapped tightly around me, and she held me in front of the diner as I cried. "He'll come around, sweetie. He just needs time. Give him time. And maybe you and Edward can prove that it will all be ok."

"I can't lose daddy, too."

"No, no, hush that. Look at me." She pulled away from me and brought a hand to my chin, pulling up my face. "You will _never _lose your father. Or me. You're stuck with us for life. You know how he is. If things don't go the way he thinks they should he gets his feelings hurt. I'll talk to him."

"Thanks, mom."

"You're welcome, baby. Now, go to work before you're late."

I did as I was told, getting into my car and driving to school. Angela was in a much better mood and grinned all through lunch as she munched on the chicken salad I'd brought for the four of us. As we all sat debating why exactly the cafeteria food had turned so nasty all of a sudden, we made plans to take turns bringing lunch for our little group. Even though I had my reservations about getting too close with Alice, our friendship began to grow anyway.

The next morning I held my head low as I explained to Edward what had happened at the diner the previous day. I began to cry again when I mentioned my dad, and right in the middle of our running path, Edward held me tightly in his arms and promised to make it all better. I clutched to him with all the strength I had, glad he was there for me, even if it was his presence that was causing the problem with my dad.

Before I knew it, August was ending and I welcomed the beginning of September with a smile. Without having even realized it, I'd fallen into a new schedule that worked out perfectly for me. I spent my mornings with Edward, running and talking. After the day I had told him how upset my dad was with me, we'd decided to start leaving earlier in the mornings in order to give us some time to talk. Every morning we'd end up sitting on my porch and talking. Sometimes I'd let him hold my hand. That was as far as our physical relationship ever went.

I still had breakfast every morning at the diner. Things had not improved much with my dad. We'd all made a silent agreement not to mention Edward around him. Sometimes someone would slip up by commenting on how happy I seemed or how much I was smiling. They'd ask me what had me in such a good mood, and I'd say his name without thinking. And every time it happened, Charlie would quietly get up from his seat and leave. And my mom would say the same thing, that "he just needs time."

Work was going well, and I was glad to have three friends instead of just the two. Peter kept his promise with Jasper and never visited him at school. In fact, I had not seen Peter since that morning his apartment was broken into. I'd mentioned this to Edward one morning, and he said Peter promised to call if he had anything new. His lack of communication was starting to make me nervous.

The first football game of the season for Forks High School was scheduled for the first Friday in September. It was also the first time that Edward and I had planned to spend time together outside of our morning runs. I had to be at the game anyway since I was in charge of the yearbook photos. Someone had to photograph the game. And since my yearbook class only consisted of 6 students, I had no choice but to help. It became apparent to me rather quickly the reason it was hard to keep a teacher in the yearbook advisor slot for long: teenagers had better things to do on a Friday night than stand on the sidelines of a football game.

Edward, Jasper, and Alice sat near the top of the bleachers, in a spot that wasn't too crowded and made them easy to pick out when I turned around to look for them. Halfway through the first quarter of the game, I was nearly trampled by a field of football players as the ball flew through the air in my direction. I scrambled off the sideline and up the bleachers as fast as my legs would carry me.

"I only got 4 shots. And three of them are no good." I handed the digital camera I was holding to Jasper to get his opinion.

"Well, it's just the first game. You've got all season to get some good shots," he said before handing the camera back to me. I tucked it away safely in my bag.

"It's a good thing I brought a doctor with me. I almost needed your services tonight, sir," I whispered to Edward as I sat closely to him, the sides of our bodies pressed together.

He began to laugh so I slapped him on the knee. "You moved so fast down there. It was pretty funny. I am glad I didn't have to scrape you off the ground, though. They would have flattened you."

"Stop making fun of me. It's scary down there. It shouldn't be me taking these damn pictures anyway. I'm having a talk with my kids on Monday." He continued to laugh and eventually I couldn't help it and joined in with him.

At halftime Alice and Jasper abandoned us to go stock up on snacks at the concession stand. As soon as they were out of sight, I reached over and grabbed Edward's hand to lace together our fingers.

"I'm cold," I admitted as the chilly fall air blew all around us.

"Let's get out of here. Go somewhere quieter."

"What about your sister?"

"I'll text her and tell her we left."

"Ok," I said and couldn't help the excitement in my voice. Edward pulled his phone from his pocket and began typing his message to Alice. I looked around as he messed with his phone, and my eyes landed directly on my dad. He was standing at the edge of the field, leaning against the fence surrounding it, and had his eyes fixed on me and Edward. We stared at each other for a moment before he turned his back on me and focused on the band marching on the field. I swallowed hard and tried to push him out of my thoughts as I turned my attention back to Edward.

"Ready?" he asked and held his hand out to me. I took it without hesitating and let him lead me to his car. "Where to, love?"

"How about your house? I haven't been given a proper tour yet."

"My house it is. I do believe my dear sister was planning on sleeping elsewhere tonight anyway. So we should have the place to ourselves." He winked at me before driving off. I smiled and blushed, surprising myself that he still affected me in such a way.

When we arrived at the Cullen home, Edward gave me strict orders to stay in my seat until he could open my door for me.

"Thank you, sir," I said with a giggle as he held out his hand for me once more.

"It is my pleasure, Ms. Swan." He pulled me into his side and held me closely as we approached the house.

Edward was quick with giving me a tour of the house, and we ended up in the living room cuddled up on the couch.

"What are you thinking?" he asked as he swept my hair off my shoulders and ran his nose along my jaw.

"Mmmm. That feels nice."

He chuckled and asked, "Is that an answer to my question?"

"Mmmm," was all I could manage to say as he bent down and began kissing along my neck. I closed my eyes and allowed him to lead. It was the first time in years we'd been intimate with each other. I wasn't sure I could handle being in charge.

My breathing escalated as he ran a hand down my side before sliding it around my back, pulling me closer to him. Without giving it too much thought, I lowered myself down on the couch until my back touched the cushions. And in my movements I brought him along, causing him to hover over me. He continued to place sweet, wet kisses all along my neck before moving to my jaw, then my cheek.

"God, I've missed this," he breathed in my ear.

"Me, too," I admitted before clutching him closer to me. His lips moved up and down my cheek before landing on the corner of my mouth. I could feel him hesitating and turned my face to meet his. As our lips touched I couldn't help the groan of pure joy that escaped me. We started out slowly, easing ourselves back into a place we once explored on a daily basis.

My need for him grew, and before I knew it we were both panting, kissing hard, our tongues twisting together, as we pawed at each other's clothes, trying to get closer. I was tugging at Edward's shirt, trying my best to rid him of it, when a knock on the door had us both scrambling off the couch and adjusting our clothes.

"Who the hell is that?" I whispered as I buttoned the top three buttons of my shirt Edward had managed to open.

He sighed heavily and stated, "I don't know. But whoever it is, it better damn well be important. Damn it!" he growled as he adjusted himself one last time before walking to the door. I giggled as I watched him. I took several deep breaths, willing myself to calm down.

"Peter," Edward greeted as he opened the door wide and allowed our blonde-headed friend to enter.

"Oh, Bella, I didn't expect to see you here." Peter's eyes flashed to my hair before his cheeks turned pink. I quickly glanced at my reflection in the decorative mirror hanging on the wall and inwardly groaned. By the looks of me, it was obvious what Edward and I had been up to. My hair was standing wild in all different directions. I ran my hands over it quickly, in hopes of taming it, before focusing on the boys. Edward stood across the room from me with a wicked grin on his face. I glared at him in return.

"Well, I just wanted to drop by and tell you that I've not come up with anything new for the two of you lately. I've not gathered enough information for you to take James Hunter to court."

"But you have proof he forged Edward's signature at the bank. That should be enough to press charges, right?" I looked to Peter as I spoke.

"Well, about that . . . see, I didn't actually come across that proof legally. I'm not sure it would hold up in court."

"What did you do?" Edward asked, his playful demeanor from earlier long gone.

"I may have tapped into the bank's security system and got hold of the camera footage where James acted as you. With some enhancements on my part, I was able to get a good enough look at him to tell who it was."

"Peter! You could be arrested if you were caught." I was astounded at the lengths he'd gone to.

"Ahh, you said IF. I never get caught my dear. But, that doesn't matter. We know it was James. At least you can rest easier at night with that. I know it doesn't get your money back, but honestly, I just can't seem to uncover much. I'll keep looking, though, if you'd like."

"No, Peter, I think you should stop. Honestly, I never intended on getting my money back anyway. I just wanted to know who set us up. I've got all the answers I need."

I stood quietly by the couch as Edward told Peter he wanted to end the investigation. I watched Edward as he spoke, the look in his eyes telling me he was happy with the information we'd gained. Edward just wanted me back. That's what he'd been telling me for months. He no longer cared about James and whoever else helped him in breaking us up. He just wanted to move forward.

"I'll mail your final payment to you Monday, if that's alright." Edward walked Peter to the door as he spoke.

"That's cool. No rush. I know you're good for it."

"I'm sure you do," Edward chuckled before shaking Peter's hand.

"You two have a good night. Glad things seem to be working out for you." Peter waved at us both as he pulled the door closed behind him.

"Well, that's that, I guess. You want something to drink?"

"Yeah, that'd be good. You know what I like."

"Coming right up then." Edward's good mood returned as he bounded towards the kitchen and out of sight. I took one look in the direction he disappeared in before quietly sneaking out the front door.

"Peter! Wait up," I yelled and caught him just before he started backing his car out of the driveway.

"Hey," he said and rolled down his window.

"Peter, you can't stop the investigation. I have to have answers. You're my best chance at getting them."

"Edward seemed pretty set on ending it, Bella. Are you sure this is what he wants?"

"It's what I want. He doesn't need to know."

A look of discomfort crossed his face as he seemed to be thinking over my words.

"Ok, if it's that important to you, I'll do it. Come by my office next week, and we'll discuss it more."

"Thank you, Peter. I owe you."

He just winked at me before waving once more and driving off. Edward was waiting on the couch for me when I walked back inside.

"Everything ok?" he asked.

"Yep. I wanted to ask him about Jasper's birthday. It's coming up soon." I didn't meet his eyes as I spoke, instead choosing to focus on the glass of wine he'd placed for me on the table.

"Ok. I'm glad he stopped by. I've been thinking for a few weeks now that we should stop the investigation. There's no need for it now."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," I lied and rested my head in his lap. I woke the next morning wrapped in Edward's arms on his couch and filled with guilt for going behind his back; an action I knew wouldn't sit well with him.

**A/N: Please leave a review and tell me what you think. I love getting your feedback.**


	14. Time Marches On

**A/N: I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a happy New Year! Mine was packed full of fun and craziness. **

**I've created a facebook page for FF. The link is on my profile.**

**Anytime I need to get a word out to you guys involving this story I'll post it on my facebook page. Also, if you ever have questions for me, feel free to contact me there.**

**Always, a big thanks goes to my beta Lovemgoblue, for being so awesome! Thanks for all you do!**

**Ch. 14 Time Marches On**

"Embry Call. You are late. For the fourth time this month. Dare I even ask if you have an excuse?" I stood at the front of my class, hands on my hips and staring down Embry, one of many students with a major case of senioritis.

"I forgot my book, Ms. Swan. I—."

I held up my hand to stop him. "I want to see you after class." My voice was stern as I glared at him. The third home game of the football season was that night and my students had mostly ignored me all day, so I was glad it was my last class.

For the first time that season, I was not attending. I'd finally managed to scare my yearbook students into doing their jobs and showing up to the games. And because the entire town would also be there, Edward and I could finally step out in the town of Forks together without much scrutiny. I hoped.

As the bell rang, releasing my last class, I made eye contact with Embry, making sure he didn't try to slip out without speaking to me first. I walked over to my desk just as the rest of the class was clearing out and pulled out a small pad of paper from the top drawer of my desk. I grabbed a pen and began writing on the paper just as Embry approached my desk.

"Aw, man, not detention!" Embry eyed the pad of paper in my hand and sighed loudly before crossing his arms over his chest.

"You may want to pick someone else's class to skip. I'm tired of talking to you about this. Detention three days next week. If you're late again, I'm kicking you out of my class. And you need my class to get your honors diploma. It's your choice." I ripped the top paper off the pad of detention slips and jammed it into his hand. "Do not be late to my class ever again. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," I heard him whispering under his breath as he hurried out of my classroom.

"Damn teenagers," I scoffed, thinking no one was within ear shot, and slumped down in my chair, laying my head on my arms on my desk.

"We don't tolerate that kind of language here, young lady. I'm afraid I'm going to have to send you to the principal's office."

"Shut up Jasper," I yelled from the cave my arms had created.

"Long day,darlin?"

"You could say that. What's with teenagers and football? I hated that crap when I was in high school."

"Yeah, but you probably weren't a normal teenager."

"Why not?" I asked, a little put off by his description of a younger me.

"Because you're not like most women I know. And that's not a bad thing."

"I really wasn't a normal teenage girl. I hated boy bands."

Jasper faked a gasp before saying, "What? You didn't have posters of N'SYNC all over your room?"

"No way in hell!"

Jasper and I shared a laugh before Alice walked in, interrupting us. "What's so funny?" she asked as she sat down at a desk in the front row.

"Bella hates Justin Timberlake."

"What? Really? I had the biggest crush on him." Alice's face shone with pride as she admitted that.

I started shaking my head immediately. "I don't love Justin. Or any other boy band member. I did put a poster of Blink 182 on my wall once to scare my dad."

"Why would they scare your dad?" Alice asked innocently.

"The piercings. He made me take it down. I pretended to be in love with the drummer." I laughed to myself, remembering the little joke I'd played on my dad.

"Alright, ladies, I gotta go finish up a few things. I'll be ready to go in a few minutes." He said the last part to Alice before giving her a wink and walking out the door. I watched as a huge grin took over her face. Her eyes followed Jasper until he was out of view. She sighed heavily before looking my way. A light blush spread across her face.

"You do it too, ya know." Alice pointed a finger at me as she spoke.

"I don't think I've ever checked Jasper out."

"Haha! Very funny. I wasn't talking about Jasper. I was talking about my brother."

"I don't stare at Emmett, either," I said as I stood from my desk and turned my back to her. I began erasing my dry erase board, and Alice exhaled loudly behind me.

"Oh, come on, Bella. You know who I'm talking about."

"Perhaps," I admitted, having a bit of fun picking on her.

"I see you ogling Edward almost every morning when you two leave for your run."

"I didn't realize you were up that early."

"Yeah, I guess it's kind of silly, but I like seeing you two happy together. I like seeing my brother smile again. And yes, I see you checking him out. Often."

I shrugged my shoulders as I continued clearing the board. Jasper showed up before I finished, and he and Alice left together, hand in hand. As soon as I had the board cleared, I gathered my things and locked up before walking through the isolated halls of Forks High. Once in my car, I drove the short distance to my house. As I drove my truck up my driveway a sigh of relief gushed out of me. It felt like days had passed since I'd been home. As soon as I was inside the front door I dropped my school bag, making a loud thud echo through the room, and made my way into the kitchen. I pilfered through my cabinets looking for a light snack. I grabbed a bag of potato chips and tossed a small handful into my mouth. I chased the chips down with a gulp of water from my bottle in the refrigerator before making my way upstairs. I hardly had my skirt off before I passed out on the bed.

My cell phone ringing somewhere nearby had me sitting up straight on my bed and feeling around uselessly for the source of the noise. My hand eventually glided over the phone, and I was able to answer it before the caller hung up.

"Hello?" I asked groggily as my vision began to somewhat clear. The room was filled with darkness. How long had I slept?

"Shit. You were sleeping. I'm sorry. Did you still want to get together tonight?"

"What? Edward? Yes. I want to see you. I just had a long day. I'm fine. What did you want to do?"

"You wanna just go to the diner? I know you miss Rosalie. Maybe it won't be crowded tonight. We can come back to your place later and watch a couple movies or something. I overheard Alice talking to Jasper earlier, and I think they're coming here after the game. I'd like to not be around for that." Edward sighed as he finished, and I couldn't help but giggle.

"Ok, that sounds really great. I do miss Rose."

"You think she'll be ok with me coming to the diner? I don't think she's completely accepted the idea of us being . . . ummm . . . whatever we are." He sighed again. I could practically see him running his free hand through his hair in agitation. I had to admit, though,that he was being much more patient with me than I believed he could be. But I couldn't help the pang of guilt that rippled through me whenever he tried to define our relationship. I was becoming a bit impatient with myself but just wasn't ready to commit yet.

"She won't mind. I think she's lightened up a bit since she's seen how my dad's been acting. She knows how it drives me crazy. Plus she's been spending time with Emmett lately, and I think that helps, too. He's a big fan of us being together from what Rose has said."

"Yeah, I don't know about that. He loves giving me a hard time. I really hate that your dad is so upset. Do you think it would help if I talked to him? Alone?"

"No! Absolutely not! He'd probably pull his gun on you." I chuckled, hoping to lighten the mood. It didn't help.

Edward exhaled loudly over the phone. "I hate this. I feel like I've screwed everything up. I just want to fix it all."

"Edward, please, let's not talk about all this tonight. It's our first chance to go out together. Please?"

"I'm sorry. I just don't want you fighting with your dad."

"We're not fighting. It's just a disagreement that hopefully he'll get over eventually."

"Yeah, but how long is eventually?"

"Don't worry about him right now. What time will you pick me up?"

"Anytime. I'm ready. I got home about an hour ago. I assumed that'd be enough time for a certain girl to be ready but apparently she was too sleepy." Edward's tone was playful, causing a big smile to spread across my face. His flirty attitude always brought back such fond memories of our time before. Edward Cullen could flirt like no other. And I loved it.

"I just wanted to make sure I was well rested for our date," I innocently replied.

"I think I like the sounds of that."

"Get your head out of the gutter, Cullen, and get your ass over here."

"Yes, ma'am," he said and hung up. I flung myself off the bed and ran to my closet, searching for something cute. I unbuttoned my shirt as I looked over the hanging clothes, letting it fall to the floor behind me. Just as I found a suitable dress I heard a small gasp from behind me. I swung around and my eyes landed on Edward standing in my closet door, with wide eyes and a look of pure lust on his face. My mouth popped open and I just stood in place, staring at him, not sure of what to do. It didn't seem right for me to cover myself since he'd seen me in much, much less before.

Edward's eyes roamed over my body as he slowly made his way to me. I couldn't move, or breathe, as he approached me. Finally, he was standing mere inches from me. I let out a shaky breath as his hands reached towards me and made contact with my hips. He pulled me to him and buried his face in my neck, inhaling loudly.

"You are so very beautiful. I've missed seeing you like this. I just miss you." His hands wrapped around me as he hugged me tightly. I slowly moved my hands up his back feeling his muscles flex under the black t-shirt he was wearing. I yearned to rip it off him. I slid my hands under the black fabric wanting the feel of his skin on mine. Our bodies began moving as Edward walked me backwards until I was pressed up against the wall in the back of the closet. I couldn't remember ever experiencing such intimacy in my closet before. It was a first for us.

The feel of his hands gliding up and down my sides had goose bumps crawling over my skin. The feel was almost intoxicating, and I couldn't help it as my head rolled back and rested on the wall. Edward took my movement as an invitation and started placing tender, lust filled kisses all along my neck and collar bone. My breathing became labored as my heart rate picked up, and I knew if we didn't stop soon we'd cross a line that I was sure neither of us was ready for. My body begged for him but my heart was still healing.

"We should stop," Edward voiced, as if pulling the words straight from my mouth. Yet, his lips still made a wet line over my jaw and over my cheeks. He placed a light kiss on my nose before giving me a quick peck on the lips. He pulled back then and let his hands slowly slide off my body. He allowed himself one more long look at me, and began backing out of the closet. His eyes became playful as he neared the exit, his eyebrows wiggling at me as his eyes fell on my breasts. I crossed my arms over my chest causing his bottom lip to poke out.

"Get out!" I demanded and he began to laugh before doing as he was told.

"You're very bossy today, Ms. Swan," he yelled from somewhere in my bedroom. He hadn't gone far.

"You got that right!" I hollered back before turning my back to the closet door. I quickly removed my bra and threw the white, strapless dress over my head before he decided to come back for a peak. I searched the shelves above my clothes, looking for a pair of shoes, and decided on a pair of sleek, black heels.

I put on the shoes and walked a few laps in the small space, making sure I could still handle heels without wobbling too much. A smile spread across my lips as I realized I could do it.

"So, how do I look?" I asked in my French accent.

"Oh, Isabella, so beautiful." His fake French accent was just as good as my real one, causing me to frown.

"I hate that you're good at everything," I said, tapping him on the chest. I walked past him and into my bathroom. I could hear him laughing behind me. He followed me into the bathroom and sat on the edge of the tub, watching me as I ran my hands through my hair.

"Stop staring. It's not nice." I wagged a finger at him.

He winked and said, "Can't help it."

I just shook my head as I pulled my makeup bag from one of the drawers. I applied lip gloss and mascara before putting the bag away.

"Ok. I'm all done."

"That was easy," he said. He stood from the tub and walked over to me. He hugged me close and kissed the top of my head before pulling back and grabbing my hand. He pulled me from the bathroom and into the bedroom. I grabbed my cell phone off the bed as we passed it, and he led me out into the hallway. We walked hand in hand down the stairs and into the living room.

"This is a pretty big house. What made you choose this one?" he asked as I pulled my hand out of his to search for my purse.

"It was cheap. It was a piece of junk, though. I had to fix it up," I said, as I looked around the living room for my purse before I remembered dropping it by the front door. I walked over to it and slipped my hand in, looking for my keys. When I located them, I pulled them out and handed them along with my cell phone to Edward. He pocketed the items without me even having to ask. It was something he used to always do for me, knowing that I hated carrying a purse.

"You did a great job with it. It's very cozy in here. And it suits you." Edward's eyebrows furrowed as he said this.

"What is it?" I asked, walking over to him.

"It's nothing like the apartment was. You're so different now. Did I force you to be someone different back then?"

I thought about his question for a moment, allowing each word to flow through my mind, wanting to answer honestly. "Not exactly. I'm mostly to blame for that. I was already trying too hard to fit in before I met you. One look at you was all it took to make me feel like you were out of my league." I shook my head at the memory. "I really just wanted to be someone different than I'd been in high school. I was so shy and boys usually looked passed me. I wanted all that to change. I was already in too deep when you came along.

"When you left I had to re-identify myself for survival purposes. And it turns out, I like what I discovered about myself. I guess I'm back to being that shy girl once again, but I feel comfortable with that now. I'm very picky about the people I let in my life in order to keep from getting hurt again. It's why I never dated. But, this house, my clothes . . . that's all me. Maybe just a more mature version of what you knew. I'm still the same here," I said as I grabbed his hand and placed it over my heart. "I won't pretend to like something or someone that I actually do not like at all. I'll be honest about everything."

"You were dishonest before?" Edward asked, sounding perplexed.

"More like in denial, before. I'm over it now. And I'm more honest with myself. I just want to be happy."

"That's all I want, too."

"I know."

Edward brushed fingertips lightly down my cheek, then pulled away. He grabbed my hand once more and pulled me towards the door. I turned the lock and shut the door behind me, ready for my night out with him. On our walk to the car, I said a silent prayer that my dad would keep his distance. Hopefully, the game would preoccupy him enough for one night. I knew I'd have to deal with him soon though.

"Gimme a bite," Edward said while giving me his best smolder.

"Nope," I said and took a big bite of the chocolate cake sitting before me.

"Please?" he begged, poking out his bottom lip.

"That has no effect on me," I warned, pointing my fork at him.

"I disagree," he countered, and before I knew it he was up from his chair and walking to my side of the table. I scooted my chair as far from him as I could, but there was no escaping him. A delightful squeal slipped through my lips and filled the dining room of the diner as Edward picked me up and cradled me in his arms.

He plopped down in my seat and set me in his lap. I giggled profusely as he reached around me to grab my fork off the table. He tried stealing a bite of the cake, but I swatted at his hands to stop him.

Besides the two of us, the dining room was empty. Rosalie had let all her employees but Jacob off for the night and the two of them were hiding in the kitchen, giving us privacy. Once, Jacob came into the dining room to grab something, gave me one look, glared at Edward, and then went back to the kitchen to hide. It was ridiculous, but I was thankful for the privacy.

"You ready to get out of here?" Edward finally asked. We'd been at the diner over an hour and I was ready to get home and get more comfortable.

"I thought you'd never ask," I said, and leaned back, resting against his chest. He squeezed my waist tightly before placing a feather light kiss on my neck. Sliding out from under me, he placed me gently back on my chair and reached for his wallet in his back pocket. I couldn't help but giggle when he threw a $50 bill down on the table.

"What's funny?"

"The first time you ever came in here you over-tipped for a salad. It pissed Rosalie off."

"Are you kidding me?" he asked, sounding exasperated.

"Nope. Of course, she hated you at the time. You could have rescued puppies right in front of her then, and she would have found something to complain about."

I meant the comment to be funny, but Edward shook his head without replying. He walked us to the door and pulled it open, allowing the cool night air to wrap around us. A cold shiver ran through me and without giving it too much thought I slid my arms around Edward's waist, my chest against his back.

I stood on my tiptoes and whispered in his ear. "I'm sorry."

"You've no reason to be," he said sadly. I rested my forehead on his back, wanting to fix the moment before it was completely ruined. I squeezed him tightly. He grabbed my hands and loosened them before turning in my arms to face me. He smiled down at me, the action reaching his eyes. It had me smiling in return. In front of Rosalie's Diner, I allowed him to kiss me. Our lips moved against one another's slowly, lovingly. My body was pulled flush against his, as we both allowed the kiss to grow deeper. But before we could move to full make-out mode, a siren chirped once, loudly behind us. I jumped in fear as we pulled away from one another. My father's cruiser sat just behind us on the street.

"Shit!" Edward proclaimed, before letting go of me completely and taking a step back. I reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Don't," I said softly.

"Bella, I don't want to cause trouble."

"Too late," my dad said as he approached us. He wouldn't even look at me as he walked past us and into the diner.

"Let's just go," I begged, leaning towards the Volvo.

Edward drove slowly to Cherry Street, neither of us talking. Once we arrived at my house, we cuddled on the couch while watching _Wicker Park._ Halfway through the movie, Edward called it a night, saying he was tired. He gave me a swift peck on the lips before making his way across the street to his own home.

September went by in a flash, barely giving me time to catch my breath and relax. My birthday came and went without anyone making too much fuss over me. I did allow Edward to take me to dinner in Port Angeles and my mother to bake me a cake. Other than that, my friends and family accepted my wishes to keep it low key. I felt too old to make such a big deal out of my birthday. It was the Swan way. We'd never put too much emphasis on birthdays. We saved all our celebrating for Christmas.

As October began, Edward and I began growing closer, despite my father's attitude towards us. I spoke to my dad every morning during breakfast, but as usual, I steered clear of the topic that I so badly wanted to discuss with him. It was starting to weigh heavily on my heart that there was a part of my life I was no longer able to share with him. My mom would sneak off to their back porch when my dad was immersed in a ball game on television and call me, wanting all the dirty details about Edward and me. It was all becoming a bit ridiculous.

It was three days before Halloween when I decided to mention Edward to my dad. I needed an idea if he'd warmed up to the idea of him at all.

"Mom, are you giving out candy this year?" I asked over breakfast, starting a conversation I knew would lead to my own plans for Halloween.

"I don't know," she replied, looking contemplative. "We never get many trick-or-treaters anymore. Maybe I'll hand out candy with you."

"Edward's going to help me this year, mom," I said, testing the waters. I felt movement beside me as my dad started shuffling his newspaper, no doubt preparing to stand from his chair and leave. I lightly placed a hand on his forearm to stop him.

"Don't go, please," I begged softly. I could feel tears building up in my eyes. He wouldn't look at me, but he didn't move either. It was a start.

After breakfast, Edward was waiting for me on my porch steps, his crooked grin in place, looking too handsome for his own good.

"It's too cold to be sitting out here," I yelled as I climbed down from my truck and made my way towards him. He simply shrugged his shoulders.

It was a Thursday, and Forks schools were closed until Monday due to issues with the heaters not working in the middle school. And when one school closed, they all closed. I was glad to have two extra days off. And because Edward was his own boss, he gave himself the two days off as well. It was the first time he'd taken any time off since taking over the clinic.

"So, what's the plan for today?" he asked as I approached the front door with key in hand to unlock it.

"I dunno." Turning the knob, I walked inside with Edward on my heels.

"Hey," he whispered softly in my ear as he shut the door. I turned to find him closer than I realized and instantly wrapped my arms around his neck.

"Hmm?" I asked. His head bent down as he softly moved his lips over mine. He walked me backwards until the backs of my knees hit the couch. Ever so gently, he lowered our bodies until I was lying on my back with him hovering over me. Our movements were slow as our hands began to explore one another's body. His lips moved along my neck and collarbone, eliciting shivers and soft moans from me.

We had been reacquainting ourselves, and I knew neither of us would hold back much longer. I'd come to the conclusion that the only reason I was still not able to fully commit to him was because of the issues our relationship was causing with my dad. But I was starting to feel restless and needed to make a decision. I was a grown woman after all, and I deserved happiness as much as the next person. My dad would just have to accept that.

My hands moved on their own accord under Edward's shirt, needing the feel of his smooth skin. Edward froze for just a second before sitting up on his knees and pulling his shirt over his head. I leaned up on my elbows to get closer to him just as he lowered himself back down to me. I moved my nose through the soft, thin curls of hair splayed across his chest before peppering him with kisses, my hands moving over his back the entire time.

Edward lowered us back down on the couch and picked up where he left off, planting kisses just above the tops of my breasts. With steady movements, he slid one hand under the hem of my shirt and over my stomach, causing my muscles deep within me to clench. Just as his hand reached the bottom of my bra, my cell phone rang. The tune to Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust" echoed through the room, alerting me to who was calling. It was the ring tone I'd set up for Peter.

"Just ignore it," I said, knowing he'd leave a voice mail.

"You sure?" Edward asked, pausing to look down at me.

"Mmm hmm," I moaned and grabbed him, pulling him closer. Edward and I spent most of the day on the couch making out, but the little interruption from Peter had me preoccupied, so we never got much farther than first base.

Later that evening, after Edward reluctantly went home, I finally picked up my phone to check for any voicemails. As I had assumed, there was one message. I immediately dialed in my password to listen.

_"Hey, Bella. It's Peter. Just wanted to check in with you and let you know I still hadn't found anything new for you. I'm still digging, though. I'll give you another call in a few weeks. Unless I find something. Then I'll call sooner. Talk to ya later."_

I sighed as I hung up and placed my phone on the kitchen table. Would I ever have the answers I so desperately needed?

"This is a lot of candy," Edward mentioned as he approached my steps and stared at the large witch's cauldron sitting before me.

"I always hated going to houses that only gave you one piece," I said in my defense.

"The clinic will be full of children with upset bellies tomorrow, and I'll know who to blame." He sat down beside me and tilted his head towards mine to plant a big, wet kiss on my lips. He had me giggling like a teenager in mere seconds.

"Cut it out," I said between giggles and slapped at his arm wrapped securely around my waist. "Kids will be showing up any minute."

"So. It won't kill them to see a little kiss between lovers."

"Lovers? Is that what we are?" I innocently asked.

"You tell me," Edward said before pulling away. He hardly ever asked me anymore what I was thinking in terms of our relationship. He'd simply decided, I supposed, to give me time. But I knew time was almost up for him, and his patience was wearing thin. I couldn't blame him though. I'd taken long enough. I knew what my decision was.

I didn't get the chance to answer him right away though, because children dressed in costumes suddenly flooded my yard, begging for candy. Edward and I enjoyed seeing all the kids approach my porch, and it warmed my heart to see him react to them all. It was evident that he loved children. I knew, one day, he'd make a fantastic father. It was my hope to see that happen in our future.

The sun had long set, and darkness had taken over the night for several hours before my candy bowl was empty. Having snacked on more than one piece of candy, Edward and I were both sporting sugar highs.

"I'm not tired at all," he said as we went inside. I locked the door behind me and turned off the porch light.

"I'll need that light later, ya know?" he said and threw himself down on the couch. I sauntered over to him and brought one knee to each side of his legs, straddling him. He wiggled his eyebrows at me.

"Stay the night." I spoke softly as I peered down into his eyes. That was all it took for the mood to shift. Edward's eyes widened slightly as he stared back at me. "Please," I whispered and he nodded his head.

I stretched both my arms over my head, silently telling him what he needed to do. As if reading my mind, his hands moved slowly under my shirt, bringing the fabric along with him, until he'd removed it from my body, exposing my black lace bra.

He sucked in an unsteady breath as he stared upon my nearly naked chest. I watched with fascination as he brought his bottom lip between his teeth several times, seeming shy, as if he were a teenage boy seeing a woman's body for the first time. I ran my hands through his hair, trying to relax us both. My chest moved up and down in quick movements as my breathing picked up.

"Tell me what you want," he whispered.

"I want you," I finally admitted to him.

"Say it again," he begged.

"I want you, Edward. I'm tired of waiting. Take me upstairs."

"Will you change your mind tomorrow?" he asked, worriedly.

"I've made up my mind. There's no going back for me."

He nodded his head several times, quickly, before removing me from his lap so he could stand. He took my hand in his and led me upstairs to my bedroom. The wide French doors in my room that opened up to a small balcony were left uncovered, making the room beautifully lit by moonlight. The setting was perfect for making love withone's long lost lover.

"I . . . I don't have a condom." Edward shifted his weight from one foot to the other, looking nervous.

"It's ok, I, uh . . . well . . . I bought some a few weeks ago. Ya know, just in case." I felt my cheeks redden at my admission. "They're in the top drawer of the nightstand."

Edward led me to the large bed taking up most of the space, and I sat down. He stood over me, staring down at me lovingly, if not a little nervously, and smiled, before leaning over to my bedside table and grabbing a condom. Reaching a hand out towards him, he came to me willingly, and the two of us scooted to the middle of the bed. My heart pounded wildly beneath my chest as anticipation built up deep within me, and I knew then that I was making the right choice. For so long, I'd waited for Edward, my one true love, and I knew I would sleep soundly that night, without one ounce of regret.

Steady hands moved over my uncovered skin as Edward placed light kisses down my chest and over my stomach. My bra-clad breasts heaved with want, begging to be uncovered. Edward slowly released the clasp, removed the fabric, and placed his lips around one of my hardened nipples.

"Ahhh," I cried out softly and arched my back. Want spread throughout my entire body. He worked slowly over my body and took his time removing the rest of my clothes. Once he had me naked, he allowed me to turn him over until he was lying on his back, giving me the opportunity to worship his body the way he'd done mine.

It wasn't long, however, until I found myself on my back once more, with a naked Edward perched over me preparing to make me his once more.

"It's been awhile for me. I'm not sure how long I'll last," he admitted sheepishly.

"It's ok," I gently spoke and placed a hand on his cheek. "We have all night."

"Yes," he whispered in my ear before slowly sinking into me.

My body shook, and I had to hold onto him tightly to control myself.

"Are you ok?" he asked, panicked.

"Yes. Just give me a second," I breathed. I was unprepared for how my body would react after going so long without intercourse. We both lay there, unmoving, until my breathing began to relax somewhat and I was able to loosen my hold on him.

"Ok," I said, and ever so slowly, he began to move, making one small thrust after the other.

A minute, possibly two, had passed before Edward's breathing became labored. "Oh, shit. Shit, shit. Ahhh," he cried out, before he became completely still above me. Seconds later, he collapsed on top of me and buried his head in the nape of my neck. "I can't believe that just happened. SHIT!" His cries were muffled by my hair, and without meaning to, I began to giggle.

"I'm so sorry," he apologized. "It's like I'm 16 years old all over again."

"It's ok. It's been awhile for me too. Trust me; I felt 16 again too just a few minutes ago. I didn't know that was possible."

"Think you could go again?" he asked, and my giggles turned into laughter. "You're laughing at me."

"I'm laughing at the situation. We sound like two teenagers."

He began to laugh as well, as he pulled out of me. Throughout the night we made love three more times.

The next morning, I woke feeling euphoric as I rested my head on Edward's chest. I could tell by his breathing that he was awake. I rolled my head back to take a look at his face and he was smiling down at me. The look in his eyes said a thousand words, and I knew he loved me without him having to say it out loud. I sat up to get a better look at him. My movements caused the white linen bed sheet to slip down my body, exposing me to him. He smiled crookedly.

"I love you," I said in a whisper. "I love you," I repeated as I moved to straddle him. The box of condoms sat atop my bedside table, and I stretched my body to grab one more. The foil wrapping floated slowly to the floor as I tossed it behind me before rolling the rubber slowly over Edward's manhood. He let out a low moan as I lowered my body down onto his, welcoming him once more inside me. I lowered my face to his and trailed kisses all along his jaw and cheeks before resting them over his lips. "I love you, Edward Cullen," and I began to move my hips.

"I love you so fucking much," he whispered as he closed his eyes, his head rolling back until it rested once more on the pillows. As my body began to shake from the build-up deep within my belly, I cried out his name and allowed the sensations to completely take over, and seconds later Edward followed with a low moan.

"So, what does all this mean?" Edward asked several minutes later as he walked towards the bathroom to flush the condom.

"I want us to be together. I want you in my life for good."

"I was beginning to think I'd never hear you say those words. I was really starting to worry lately," he yelled the last part of the sentence as he disappeared behind the bathroom door.

"I know," I yelled back, "and I'm sorry about that. This whole thing with my dad has really been bugging me."

Several minutes went by, but Edward had not returned to bed. If the door had not been ajar, I would have thought nothing of his absence, assuming he needed privacy. However, the lack of any movements or sounds coming from the room had me curious. My bare feet padded across the carpet as I approached the opened door. Edward was standing at the mirror with a blank look on his face. My nose crinkled as I realized he was still holding the used condom.

"Edward?" I asked, puzzled.

His head turned towards me, but didn't speak.

"What are you doing?" I leaned against the door jamb, not sure I wanted to join him.

"The condom broke," he whispered, sending chills down my spine.

My breath caught in my throat and I was unable to speak. The two of us stood, staring at one another, not talking, as if we were both in a daze. Edward finally broke the trance by walking to the toilet and finally flushing the rubber. My body began to shiver as a cold shock washed over me.

"I need a shower," I responded and briskly walked to the shower and climbed in, closing the curtain behind me. I hadn't intended to shut him out, but my mind was reeling. Panic began to bubble up within me as I turned on the water. I placed myself beneath the flow of warm water pouring over me. A sob escaped my lips, and before I could stop myself I began to cry hysterically.

Long arms encircled me as I sobbed underneath the hot water, and Edward pulled me into his chest, holding me tightly as I cried.

"It's ok, Bella. Please don't cry. It's ok."

"I can't believe this is happening!" I bellowed from his chest.

"I know. I'm so sorry. I've never had that happen before. Please, don't cry."

The sobs finally began to abate as the water turned cold. I yelped when the cool spray splattered my back, so we quickly washed up before jumping from the shower. Edward wrapped me in a towel before drying himself with another.

"I have no clean clothes here," he stated as he pulled on his jeans over his naked butt. I giggled unexpectedly, lifting the mood somewhat.

"You should keep some here," I said, as I pulled on his t-shirt over a pair of black silk panties. He nodded in agreement.

"I'm starving. Want me to make breakfast?" I asked while walking towards the stairs. I knew I couldn't dwell on the condom mishap forever, and willed myself to move on. I knew I'd spend hours concentrating on it once I was alone.

"Please," he begged, following me.

"Perhaps, you don't always have to cook healthy foods," Edward said to his plate of scrambled eggs and steamed vegetables, before stuffing a bite in his mouth.

"Are you complaining, sir?" I asked.

"Nope. But, just so you know, after a night like last night, a guy needs to refuel. And this bird food isn't going to cut it for long."

"Bird food!" I scoffed, pretending to be offended. "Fine. Eat this and I'll make you pancakes."

"Thank you," he said, sounding like a child. He grinned widely before quickly finishing his plate.

While I was busy mixing up a batch of pancakes, Edward's cell phone rang. He was looking at me and smiling as he reached for it, and didn't look at the number calling before he answered.

"Hello?" he asked happily as he continued to look at me. I wiggled my eyebrows at him, and his smile widened, before completely falling, turning into a frown. "Hello, mom," he said, and his head drooped forward as if in defeat. There was a short pause before he spoke. "That's because I'm not at home. I'm at Bella's." My hand was frozen in mid-air from stirring as I paused to watch Edward's face. His jaw tightened, and I was sure his mother was scolding him for being near me. "I'm hanging up now," he threatened, but didn't follow through. He listened to her for a few moments before his eyes widened, followed by him running a hand over his face. He was frustrated, I could tell. What on earth had that woman said to him?

"No. Mom. You can't. I think it's better if you don't, really." Edward stood from his chair as he spoke and began pacing back and forth in front of the back door. Sunlight poured in through the glass door, illuminating his features and causing his hair to take on a red tint. I stared at his beautiful image, glad I could finally call him mine again. I hoped his mom would stop interfering and the two of us could finally live our lives together.

"You know what, that's fine. You do what you have to do and I'll do the same. I'll talk to you later." There was another pause followed by, "Yeah, I love you too," and then he hung up.

He let out a loud sigh and ran both his hands through his hair.

"What'd she say?" I asked hesitantly, not sure I wanted to know the answer.

He began to laugh, humorlessly, which scared me a bit. "She and my father will be here in three weeks. They're coming for Thanksgiving. Isn't that great?" he yelled the last part, before marching through the house and towards the front door.

"Where are you going?" I shouted as I followed him.

"To talk to Alice. Maybe she can talk some damn sense into them."

"You are not leaving!" I couldn't believe he'd leave me after the morning we'd just had.

"I'm coming back," he said gently and turned to face me. "Give me five minutes. Please?"

"Fine," I sighed and went back to the kitchen to finish his second breakfast. By the time I was placing the pancakes on his plate, I heard the front door open then close. Edward entered the kitchen looking mildly better, and plopped back down into his seat.

"I'm sorry I stormed out," he apologized, and turned scared looking eyes upon me.

"Oh, Edward," I cooed and walked towards him. He opened his arms for me and pulled me down onto his lap.

"Alice won't talk to them. She's still mad at them, too. Looks like we'll just have to put up with them. They'll ruin our Thanksgiving, though."

"No, they won't. We just won't invite them to dinner."

He laughed at that, lightening the mood.

"Maybe Emmett will talk to them," I offered.

"No. Emmett's just as fed up as Alice and I are. We might as well just suffer through their visit and hopefully, they'll hate Forks so much they'll never come back."

"One look at me should have them running for the hills."

"Stop it," he ordered, before saying, "Where's my pancakes, woman?"

"Think you're still getting pancakes after talking to me like that?"

"Damn right!" he shouted happily. I hopped off his lap and walked to the bar to grab his plate. We sat at the table discussing everything from his parents, to my parents, to what to fix for Thanksgiving dinner. It was nice having such closeness back with him. Of all things, our conversations had become more and more intimate over those last several months. Although we'd kept our physical intimacy at bay until the night before, we'd had no problem communicating verbally. It felt as though we'd given our relationship the proper amount of time to rebuild and done things in the right order.

Later that evening, I sent Edward home in hopes that I'd get some work done before school started back the next day. But instead of making study guides for my students, I ended up making space in my room for some of Edward's clothes by emptying out two drawers in my dresser. My procrastination had me skipping breakfast the next morning in order to get the study guides done.

"You should come to breakfast with me," I stated as I watched Edward do his post-run stretches the next morning.

"I don't know—."

"Just do it. Gotta get it over with eventually."

"It'll ruin your dad's day."

"I'm not taking no for an answer."

"Fine."

"I'll meet you at the diner in 30 minutes," I said, and turned to walk away.

"Wait! We're not going together?"

"I go straight to school after breakfast. You have to go to work, too. It doesn't really make sense for us to drive together."

"Well, at least let me follow you over there. There's no way in hell I'm going in there without you."

"Fine, you big baby. I'll call you when I'm ready to go."

"Hey, your dad is a scary man. Don't call me a baby. You know he's scary."

I laughed in response as I ran back to my minutes later, I pulled into a parking spot in front of the diner, with Edward pulling in beside me. From where I sat, I could see the normal crew sitting at the bar, with an addition to the group: Emmett. I'd only seen him a few times since first meeting him. He'd never joined us for breakfast before.

"Emmett's here," I said to Edward as we met on the sidewalk. "He's never been to breakfast with us before."

"Hmm," Edward replied shortly.

"You called him, didn't you?" I asked, trying not to laugh again.

"I needed back-up. Just in case."

"Rosalie will kill you for sure," I stated and began to walk.

"What for? They're dating now."

"No, they're not. Rose's being real hesitant with him. I think she's only seen him a few times since he showed up in town."

"Crap!"

"Yeah, well, too late to do anything about it now."

All eyes were on us as we walked through the front doors and towards the diner. Because everyone was sitting in their usual seats, the only available stool other than mine was on the opposite side of Ben.

"Can you scoot down?" I asked Ben nicely.

"Yeah, sure," he said, gaining him an elbow in the side from Angela.

"You, too?" I asked her as nicely as I could.

"Whatever you say," she said sarcastically, and made room for Edward. He took Angela's usual spot. I figured he was safer sitting next to her than my dad. Rosalie stood behind the bar, busying herself with pouring two cups of coffee. She glared at Edward as he looked over the menu. His foot tapped nervously on his stool, making a loud ticking noise. I placed a hand on his knee to calm him.

I could practically feel waves of anger rolling off my dad. With my free hand, I rubbed his back hoping to calm him down soon. "Edward's going to be joining us for breakfast from now on," I said to everyone in a calm voice.

"That's nice, honey," mom said kindly. I smiled at her in thanks. Dad huffed loudly, but to my surprise didn't leave. After a few minutes of silence, Ben broke the ice and started talking to Edward about work. The two of them talked for a few minutes before Emmett jumped in, and before I knew it almost everyone was talking. Everyone except dad and Rosalie. I wouldn't have expected anything more.

"Bella, we need to talk soon," Rosalie stated through gritted teeth as I stood to leave.

"We will. I promise. Call me tonight."

"You got it." She went into the kitchen without saying anything further.

Edward stood at the door with a nervous look on his face, waiting for me. We walked out together, and I allowed him to open my car door for me.

"See, that wasn't so bad," I said, running a hand through his hair.

"I guess," he sighed.

"It will get better. If you don't want to come here in the mornings, you don't have to. I just figured it would be a good time for everyone to get to know you."

"I'll be here. Thank you for including me."

"Come over after work?" I asked, pulling him closer. I didn't care who was watching.

"Ok," he said and pecked me quickly on the lips before walking to his car.

The first couple weeks of November went by quickly as I began preparing myself and my students for their upcoming mid-terms. When I wasn't at school, I was at home making up new study guides that would help them. Edward would spend most evenings with me at my house. We'd prepare and eat dinner together, and then he would retire to the living room while I sat at the kitchen table grading papers.

One evening after Edward and I finished cleaning up our dinner dishes, my phone rang.

"Hello?" I asked as I took my usual seat at the table and grabbed a stack of essays needing to be graded.

"It's me," Rosalie said, sounding exasperated.

"What's wrong?"

"It's Emmett. He won't go away."

"And that's bad because?" I flipped through essays, putting them in alphabetical order as she talked. Edward ignored me and went to the living room. I watched as he flopped down on the sofa before reaching for the remote.

"I don't know, Bella. It's scary. He stopped by the diner after lunch to whisper sweet nothings to me."

"What?" I asked, laughing out loud.

"He was telling me how beautiful I am. Who says shit like that?"

"Someone sweet and kind. You are beautiful. What's wrong with someone telling you?"

"I don't have time for that crap."

"Rosalie, what's this really about?"

"I'm afraid he's going to turn into some big jerk."

"Just because Royce was a jackass doesn't mean Emmett is." Edward's head turned in my direction at the mention of his brother's name. I waved him off.

"But he's saying all this sweet nonsense that you hear in movies. It just sounds so made up."

"Edward says things like that to me all the time. He wouldn't say them if he weren't sincere. And since they're brothers, I am going to make a guess and say Emmett is being sincere as well."

"You're very insightful when you're in love. Cut it out."

"You like it."

"Maybe. What are you doing right now? Let's go do something."

"Can't. I'm grading papers. Plus, Edward's here."

"Of course he is. I've been replaced," she joked.

"Not possible."

"So, is it good?"

"Is what good?" I asked as I searched for my red pen.

"The sex?"

"Rose!"

"What? I told you how good Emmett was."

I huffed, lowered my voice, and said, "It's incredible. Except, the first time we did it, I felt like I was a virgin all over again. I mean, not exactly the same, it didn't hurt nearly as bad, but for a second I wanted to die."

"I know exactly what you mean. But it went away soon, right? It did for me."

"Yeah, but oh, my gosh, he finished in like two minutes."

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, it'd been five years for him, too."

"Wait a minute. Are you telling me he didn't sleep with anyone since the last time you two were together?"

"That's what I'm saying," I replied, my voice reaching its normal pitch.

"Damn."

"See, true love."

"Bullshit."

"You'll see. Listen, I have a ton of essays to grade. Gotta go, chick."

"You're hanging up on me to go bang."

"Am not. I seriously have homework."

"Alright, have fun. Go get some. One of us should be."

"You probably would too if you'd stop blowing Emmett off." Edward's head whipped in my direction again, with an eyebrow cocked, giving me a stern look. I burst out laughing. "I didn't mean that the way it sounded," I said, more to him than Rosalie.

"He wishes I'd blow him off," Rosalie stated before wishing me a good night.

Three hours later, I put down my red pen and stretched my arms over my head.

"You ready for bed?" I yelled out to Edward but was met with silence. I walked towards the living room and found him sleeping soundly on the couch. He'd spent almost every night with me since Halloween night, only going home to spend some time with Alice when Jasper wasn't there.

I decided to go check the lock on the front door before I woke him up, and as I approached it headlights quickly flooded through the windows before fading away. It was always a tale-tell sign someone was pulling into Edward's driveway. I stuck my head out the door to get a better look just in time to see four people getting out of a dark-colored car and walking towards Edward and Alice's front door.

"Edward," I said loudly, as I walked over to him. "Edward," I repeated, shaking him awake.

"Hmm?" he asked, groggily, and sat up.

"Someone's at your house."

"What? Who?"

"I don't know. Four people just got out of a car and walked to the door. That's all I saw."

Edward gave me a strange look before walking to the window to get a better look. "Shit," he whispered, before backing away.

"Who is it?"

"That's my dad's car. What the hell are they doing here now? They're not supposed to be here for another week."

"Who did they bring with them?" I asked as butterflies began to form in my stomach. I was not ready to meet his parents.

"Don't know. But I'm going to find out." He pulled his cell phone from his back pocket and quickly dialed a number. He held his phone in front of him and turned on the speaker setting.

"Get your ass over here!" Alice said, answering the other line.

"Who's over there?"

"Mom and dad are here."

"I know that. Who did they bring with them?" Edward yelled at his sister.

There was a long pause before Alice let out a loud breath and said, "Edward, they brought Tanya. And her sister, too."

I felt as if the wind had been knocked out of me. If I wasn't ready to meet his parents, I _certainly _wasn't prepared to meet the woman they were set on him being with.

**A/N: Now be a doll and leave me a review! Please!**

**During my late nights awake with a teething baby, I've been reading some new stories here on FF. One in particular that I really like is, A Bullet from Chekhov's Gun by callmepagliacci. You should go check it out.**


	15. Uninvited Guests

**A/N: I am really sorry it has taken me so long to update. A few months ago I lost my job and now I'm staying home with my kids, which takes up WAY more time than one might think. As much as I enjoy being with my kids all day, there is NO down time AT ALL. So, yes, I am blaming the lack of updating on my kids. HAHA! I love my life though, it's just a little crazier than it used to be.**

**And, I am sorry for not responding to your reviews. I am so thankful for each one, and I really enjoy reading your theories. **

**A HUGE thank you to my beta, Lovemgoblue, for putting up with me and my lack of memory. Thank you for always helping me out. **

**I cannot say when I will update next, but I promise it won't be long. **

**Ch 15 Uninvited Guests**

"Do you think you should go over there?" I asked, and began nervously twisting the edge of my shirt around a finger.

"You damn well better come over here!" Alice spat over the phone still perched in Edward's hand. His empty hand was busy clutching onto his hair. If that was how he acted when his parents were near, he'd be bald in a week.

"Edward, so help me God, if you don't get your ass over here in two seconds, I'm going to kill you!" I had never heard Alice so angry before. I could almost smell the smoke coming out of her ears.

"I am trying to think," Edward yelled at the phone before thrusting it into my hands. His other hand went straight to the top of his head to join the other as he began pacing. I shook my head as I tried to reason with the two of them.

"Maybe it would be a good idea for us both to go over there. You know, just get it over with. I have to meet them eventually anyway."

Edward stopped his pacing long enough to frantically address the issue."It's 11:30 at night, Bella. This is insane. What the hell are they doing here?" He stared at me worriedly all of two seconds before he turned from me and began pacing once more.

"Edward, we can't leave Alice over there to deal with this on her own."

"Yes, she's right, Edward!" Alice yelled over the line.

"Just give us a few minutes, Alice. We'll be right over," I decided, and ended the call. The look on Edward's face as he stopped his movements to glance at me was one of a lost little boy, frightened of his parents.

"They can't hurt us," I promised as I closed the distance between us and grabbed his hand, linking our fingers.

"They'll try to break us apart. I know they will. I can't lose you again." As Edward voiced his fears to me, his eyes glistened with unshed tears. His sudden show of emotion was flooring me. How could these people affect him so?

"Hey," I began, and placed my free hand on his cheek. "You think after all we've been through together, those people over there can break us apart? There's no way. We've been through too much to let something as simple as overbearing parents take us from each other. Just dealing with my dad on a daily basis should prove that much."

Edward sighed noisily before resting his forehead on mine. "You're right. But they've done nothing but preach to me for years now how wrong you are for me. They'll stop at nothing."

"We're grown adults, Edward. We don't have to listen to them."

With one more sigh, Edward moved his lips over my cheek and down to my mouth and kissed me softly, slowly, almost torturing until he pulled away. The tendons in my hand ached somewhat as he tightened his grip on me while pulling open the front door. In the darkest part of the night, Edward and I walked across the street to meet what he believed to potentially be our doom. I almost laughed at the thought. If James Hunter and his conniving ways couldn't break us up, Edward's parents certainly did not stand a chance.

Half way to his house, Edward picked up the pace, practically dragging me behind him. I nearly had to jog to keep up. His quickened step made me think he'd come up with a plan. I prayed I was right and we wouldn't have to face the intruders for long.

"Here goes nothing," he whispered as we neared the house. Butterflies began twitching nervously within my stomach. I willed myself not to throw up upon meeting the Cullens for the first time.

We entered the house from the door in the garage, the only place in the house I'd never actually been in light steps as not to be heard, we tiptoed through the garage and into the house. The door we exited through led to the kitchen. I could hear voices coming from the living room.

Edward stopped midway through the kitchen to speak. "If we be quiet, we can make it to my room without them knowing we're in here," he whispered in my ear.

"Why are we going to your room?" I whispered-asked as he began pulling me along again. Instead of answering me with words, he just shook his head as we slid around the corner and into the hallway. The conversation going on in the living room never halted, proving we'd been successful in going unheard andunseen.

As soon as we made it to his room, Edward gently closed the door behind us. He then walked straight to his closet and grabbed a duffle bag off the floor.

"Will you go to the bathroom and get all my stuff? Just the things I use the most of." He tossed me a smaller bag and nodded his head towards the small bathroom attached to his room.

"Why? What are you doing?"

"Think about it, Bella," he whispered. "The only hotel in this town is too shabby for my mom and dad. They're planning to stay right here in this house. I know what they're up to. They want to be as close to me as they can so they can keep an eye on me. There's no way in hell I'm staying here with them."

I began nodding my head. "Yeah, ok. Might as well give them all the reasons we can to hate me," I mumbled as I walked to the bathroom. If Edward was right about them staying at his and Alice's home, his parents would have a front row seat of him and me practically living together. I tried as hard as I could to push those thoughts aside as I began throwing Edward's toiletries into the small bag he'd given me.

As I moved around the tiny bathroom, looking for the items I knew Edward used most, I was hit with a case of déjà vu. The smell of his body wash hit me like a ton of bricks as I opened the glass shower door. We had barely begun to create a new routine together, yet there was already someone within our midst threatening to rip us apart again. I vowed right then I would not stand for it.

"You know what?" I asked rather loudly as I tossed the rest of his items in the bag. "They can't do anything to us. I won't allow it. I'm not going through that again. I've just gotten you back. This is ridiculous, Edward. We're adults. If you don't want them in your house, kick them out!"

"Bella, please, keep your voice down. Someone will hear you." Edward zipped up the duffle bag he was holding and rushed to my side. "I want to catch them off guard. Come on, before someone finds us back here."

I huffed in exaggeration but allowed Edward to lead me out of the room and down the hall. The closer we got to the living room, the louder the voices got.

"I distinctly heard a female voice coming from that end of the house. Alice, you're sure no one else is here?" a male voice spoke. I assumed it belonged to Edward's father, likely questioning about hearing my sudden outburst just minutes before.

"I think I would know if another woman was in my house." Alice finished her response just as Edward and I made ourselves known. Edward held tightly onto my hand as I cowered away behind his back, hoping no one saw me.

"Oh, Edward! We didn't know you were here. You frightened us!" a woman called out before snatching my boyfriend out of my hand and pulling him to her. I knew immediately it was Mrs. Cullen. Her caramel hair flowed perfectly down her back. Her green eyes sparkled as she held her son's face in her hands, looking at him affectionately.

"You're early," Edward stated. He took a step back from his mother and grabbed my hand once more, pulling me into view. My cheeks burned embarrassingly red. Mrs. Cullen barely glanced at me. My presence didn't seem to surprise or startle her at all. She must have expected me.

"Your father was able to get more time off from work than expected so we thought we'd surprise our kids. Surprise!" A sickeningly sweet smile spread across her face as she threw her arms up in the air innocently.

Ignoring his mother, Edward slipped his hand from mine before throwing his arm over my shoulder and pulling me snug against him. I swallowed loudly, nervously, as I knew what he was trying to do: he was clearly giving the visitors no choice but to notice me. I took a deep breath and tried to stand a little taller as I stared Mrs. Cullen in the eyes. The broad smile on her face slowly melted away as she gazed at me, likely realizing her antics to ignore me were futile. Her son would have his way it seemed.

"Everyone, this is Bella. I've waited a long time to introduce her to you." The pride was evident in Edward's words as he hugged me tightly. My eyes flew around the room quickly, taking in all the new faces, and I did my best to smile. My gaze fell upon Alice who, like her brother, was beaming with pride. Her allegiance to him was touching. I reminded myself to thank her greatly for supporting us and accepting me so easily.

"Edward, could we talk a moment in another room? Privately?" Dr. Cullen walked passed his wife and placed a hand on Edward's shoulder, disregarding my presence.

"Did you not hear what I just said, dad?" Edward asked angrily, shaking off his father's hand.

"Yes, son, I did. And I'd like to discuss just that with you. Privately, that is."

Edward let out a humorless chuckle and ran a hand roughly down his face before pulling his arm from around me. My heart sank thinking he was going to leave me in that room with only Alice as protection.

"I am so sorry for how rude they're being." His voice was loud as he spoke angrily. As much as I wanted to run at them, screaming, for treating Edward like a child all his life, I was being cowardly. My voice betrayed me when I needed it most. A lump stuck in my throat so I just nodded at him instead. "Just you and me," he whispered and bent to tenderly kiss my forehead.

"I assume you're all planning to stay here. Am I right?" Edward shifted gears, rejecting his father's private invitation to talk, instead addressing his mother.

"Of course, dear. Where else would we stay?" Mrs. Cullen folded her hands in front of her, almost nervously, and I could tell the situation was beginning to get to her.

"You could stay with Emmett," Alice piped in, hope evident in her tone.

"What? Emmett's not staying here?" Dr. Cullen asked, sounding shocked.

"No way. He's a slob. Plus, where would he sleep? We only have two rooms. He has an apartment in town close to the fire house." I couldn't help but smile at Alice's quick description of her oldest brother.

"I thought he was working with the fire department in Port Angeles," Dr. Cullen argued.

"He accepted the job as fire chief for the Forks Fire Department a few weeks ago. Port Angeles knew when they hired him he'd come here the first chance he got. He wanted to be closer to us." Alice noticeably grew bored with the subject and threw herself down on the couch. Edward, however, was audibly becoming more and more aggravated, by his loud sighs andleft foot tapping on the ground.

"This town couldn't possibly warrant enough fires to call for a full time fire chief. How is he supporting himself?" Dr. Cullen asked, looking from his son to his daughter for an answer.

"The fire department doesn't just work fires. Anytime an emergency call is placed, the fire department responds as well. And because we live so close to the beach, they also respond to any calls concerning that area. The fire chief of Forks has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. It's not a position this town fills lightly. You should be proud of him!" The entire room grew silent as six pair of eyes focused on me, shocked. My little outburst even surprised me, somewhat, making me curl into Edward's side once more. He hugged me lovingly.

"Well, of course we're proud of him. We're proud of all of our children." Mrs. Cullen finally spoke directly to me, as she stood tall and straightened her perfect blouse.

"You could have fooled me," Alice huffed from her spot on the couch.

"Alright, that's quite enough for one night, I think. Let's pick this conversation back up in the morning after we've all had a good night sleep." Dr. Cullen spoke with authority as he addressed us all, commanding us to stop a fight before it could really start.

"Let's get out of here," Edward whispered to me before leaning down to grab his duffle bag off the floor.

"You're not staying here?" An unfamiliar female voice asked from somewhere behind Dr. Cullen. A tall, slender woman with bold blue eyes and strawberry-blonde hair that flowed over her shoulders walked around the rest of the group and stopped just inches from Edward. She looked perfect in her blood red, form-fitting blouse and white slacks. Her feet were bare, however, giving her a sense of innocence. She was beautiful. "I hoped this would give us a chance to talk. Maybe patch things up." She placed a hand on Edward's forearm, and the intimacy behind such a small motion had my blood boiling beneath my skin. Edward reacted before I could make a scene and snatched his arm out of her reach.

"I have _nothing_ to say to you, Tanya. We have _nothing _to patch up. As far as I'm concerned, you don't even exist anymore. You lied to me, you tricked me, and you brought my family in on all of it. You are not a Cullen and you never will be." Edward's face was close enough to her's as he spoke that, if he had wanted to, he could have kissed her. A look of shock, or possibly hurt, crossed her face as the two of them stood in front of one another, neither making a move.

"Edward Anthony, don't be rude! Tanya came all the way here from Chicago to see you. The least you could do is hear her out. And my goodness, you make it sound like there was some sort of scandal going on behind your back. This isn't television, son. We aren't as wicked as you make us all sound." Mrs. Cullen's short giggle filled the quiet air as she tried to make light of the situation.

"Mom, my life isn't a toy for you to play with. I'm happy here, in Forks, with Bella. I've made a life for myself here. And you and dad couldn't care less about any of it because it's not something _you_ decided _for_ me. I've never wanted to be with Tanya. If I married her, like _you_ wanted me to, I'd be unhappy and miserable for the rest of my life. Is that what you want for me?"

"Edward, please, stop with all the theatrics. My dear, son, you really have got to calm down."

"This is what I have to deal with. This is what I was trying to explain to you," Edward said to me as he shook his head. "We're leaving."

Finally, Edward pulled me towards the door facing the street in between our houses.

"Edward, wait?" Alice shouted as she followed us out the door. "You can't leave me here with them. Please stay."

"You can come and stay with us," I offered.

Alice looked hopeful, but Edward shot her down before she could accept. "No, you need to stay here. They don't have any reason to be upset with you."

"Are you kidding me? Of course they do. I moved across the country to get away from them. _And _I gave back my trust fund, too. I'm just as much of a disappointment as you are. Just wait until they find out about Jasper."

"Just stay here. I'll come over tomorrow after work."

Edward gave his sister a quick kiss on the forehead before leaving her behind to deal with the mess of people left in their house. The walk back to my house was a slow one, making it seem as though I lived miles away. I'd never deliberately done anything to make someone hate me. It hurt to know that every word spoken that night did nothing but make Mr. and Mrs. Cullen hate me even more.

"You're quiet," Edward noticed from his side of the bed where he lay as I pulled my night shirt over my head.

"Just thinking about tonight," I added, before sliding in beside him. I switched off my bedside lamp and snuggled up to one of my pillows.

"What's wrong?" Edward whispered into my ear as he slid an arm around my waist, pulling my back against his chest.

"Why do they hate me so much? I'm not a bad person."

"No, baby, no, of course you're not. Please, don't worry about what they think of you. This has nothing to do with you, in their eyes. This is all about them wanting to control me. Once they realize they can't, they'll see you for how great you are and will love you almost as much as I do."

"You don't believe that."

"Yes, I do. It may take time, but eventually they'll be on our side. They'll have to be if they want to be in my life."

I let Edward's words sink in as I drifted off to sleep.

"So, I hear you met the in-laws."

"Excuse me?" I asked from my desk, barely acknowledging Jasper's need to taunt me.

I could hear him chuckling from somewhere in my classroom, but I decided to ignore him and continued with the stack of tests I was grading.

"Alice said they were brutal to you."

I sighed heavily, aggravated that he wouldn't just drop it.

"It could have gone worse, I suppose."

"Taking up for them, already. I never thought I'd see the day . . . ."

"Shut up, Jasper."

He chuckled again as he approached my desk. "I'm sorry, babe. I'm just picking on you."

"I know. Now, cut it out." I looked up at him and smiled before returning my attention to the work on my desk.

"How was work?" my dad asked as he stuffed a forkful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

"Fine, I guess."I sipped at my water as I watched him eat. My stomach yearned for food, but I'd been unable to eat all day. The dealings with the Cullens from the night before had me too worked up to eat.

"What's wrong?" he asked, putting his fork down and turning his complete attention to me.

"I wish you'd just accept Edward. I'm tired of having to go around you two. He makes me happy. Isn't that good enough?"

Dad stared at me for a moment, seeming to think over my words, before returning his attention back to his plate of food. My question went unanswered as he ate.

"Need a refill?" Rosalie asked and nodded to my half empty glass of water.

"No. I need a vacation." She smiled knowingly at me, before walking away to help another customer.

"Where's mom?"

"Said she had some business to tend to in Seattle. Christmas shopping, I'm guessing. You know how secretive she gets this time of year."

"I haven't even thought about Christmas shopping yet."_Crap_.

"It's not even Thanksgiving yet. You've got plenty of time."

"It's the middle of November, dad. I'll be one of those people shopping on Christmas Eve." In all honestly, I had not given Christmas much thought. With everything that had been going on in my life, it hadn't even crossed my mind. The added stress of holiday shopping was the last thing I needed.

"Seems a bit early for mom to be whipping out surprises. I wonder what she's up to."

"Who knows, kid," he said and wiped his mouth with a napkin. The light tint of red on his cheeks gave him away, however, and I knew then that he and my mother were up to something. I eyed him suspiciously.

"What?" he asked, feigning innocence.

"You're a terrible liar. Now I know where I get it from."

"What would I be lying about?"

"This secret of mom's. What is it? You know. I know you do."

"Now, I don't know what you're talking about. I, uh, gotta go back to the station. . . ."

"Whatever, dad."

"Bye, kid," he said and kissed the top of my head. I watched as my dad loaded himself into his police cruiser and drove off towards the sheriff's department. Just seconds later, a shiny, silver Volvo drove into the unoccupied parking space. Despite my ill mood, I smiled.

Edward spotted me through the large window of the diner as he walked towards the entrance. His returning smile was warm and loving, and I could see no trace of aggravation or anger on his lovely features. His parents must have been keeping their distance that day

"You're late," I accused but accepted his welcome kiss anyway.

"I got cornered by Doctor Cullen in the parking lot at the clinic." Edward sat in the chair my father had occupied just minutes before and rested his head on the bar top.

"I thought _you_ were Doctor Cullen," Rosalie reminded and placed a glass of ice cold Pepsi in front of him.

"Thanks," he offered and sat up to take a sip. "And I am Doctor Cullen. But, unfortunately, so is my father."

"What did he say?" I asked worriedly.

"Nothing I haven't heard before. 'Come home, son,' 'You're being ridiculous, son,' 'You're hurting your mother's feelings.' The same old bullshit."

"You don't seem upset though," I noticed aloud.

"There's no reason to be. I've thought all day todayabout what you said last night. You know, about just living our life like the adults we are. They can't touch us."

"No, they really can't." I leaned in my chair to kiss his lips, but before I could reach him, he grabbed me around the waist and pulled me into his lap. I giggled loudly in response.

"Stop! Please!" I begged as he began tickling my ribs. I grabbed the bar with both my hands out of fear that we'd both topple off the bar stool and hit the floor. Edward growled in my ear, wrapped his arms tightly around me, and began placing light kisses up and down my neck.

"You two might want to tone it down a bit," Rosalie recommended in a harsh tone, making Edward stop his movements. We both gazed up at her, confused.

"What's wrong?" I asked. She nodded towards the street with her head.

Edward and I turned to see his parents, Tanya, and Kate pile out of the dark Mercedes.

"Unbelievable," Edward huffed. "Come on. Let's go home. You can cook me dinner, woman."

"Yeah, good luck making that happen." I grabbed my purse off the floor as I stood and then winked at him. He wiggled his eyebrows at me in response. The playful banter was a good distraction from the cold-as-ice tension that filled the air as the intruders made their way closer and closer to where we were sitting.

"Oh, good, you're here, Edward. We can have dinner together." Mrs. Cullen looked entirely too hopeful as she spoke.

"We're actually having dinner at home, mom. Rosalie has great food here though. You'll have a good meal."

"Stay with us. There are enough seats at that table over there." She pointed to a table not far from us with five chairs sitting around it.

"Until you can learn to count better, mom, I won't be having any meals with any of you."

And with that, we were out the door before anyone could try and stop us. I looked over my shoulder just in time to see a terrified-looking Rosalie staring back at me. I wondered, then, if the Cullens had a clue about her involvement with Emmett.

"We threw Rose to the dogs back there." I shut the door to my house behind us and watched as Edward threw himself down on the couch.

"She'll be fine. Emmett's not told them anything about her. He's still waiting to figure out what exactly is going on between them before he starts introducing her to the family."

After kicking off my shoes, I walked over to the couch and lay down on top of Edward, my arms making their way around his waist. I held on tightly, willing the nervous energy inside me to vanish.

"I am so, so sorry for how rude my mom has been to you. I've never seen her like this before."

"If I ever have a son, I'll never want him to settle for anything less than the best."

"You are the best, Bella. My life was so empty without you. Please, don't ever doubt yourself or us. And don't make excuses for her."

"Ok," was all I could manage. How could that woman be so cruel? And directly in front of me? How could she? Before my thoughts could run away from me, Edward's hands slid under my shirt, rubbing my back lovingly. The built-up tension from the day settled between my legs as he continued to caress my skin, getting me worked up. He turned our bodies until we were both lying on our sides, facing one another. I was sandwiched in between Edward and the couch, making warmth spread all over me.

"I'm too hot," I whispered and tried to move away from the cushions.

"Impossible," he replied, not seeming to understand. He began sucking on the skin just beneath one of my earlobes as his hands worked to free me from my shirt and bra. Edward tossed, first my shirt, then my bra to the floor. I was still too warm, however.

"It's too hot by the couch," I breathed heavily and pushed at his chest. In one swift movement he had us sitting up with me straddling him.

"Oh, god," I sighed loudly as his lips wrapped around one of my nipples. I pulled at his hair, trying fruitlessly to bring him closer. My skirt had ridden up my thighs until all the fabric was wrapped around my waist. I could feel the cool air from the house through the thin satin panties I was wearing. I pressed my hips firmly against Edward's crotch, feeling how hard he'd become beneath me. He responded my moaning into my chest as he continued his work on my breast. He tilted his hips up to meet mine, and we began to set a beautifully, painfully slow, rhythm. I needed more, and fast.

"Upstairs?" Edward offered, our thoughts obviously in sync.

"No. Here. Now. I want you right here."

Edward had me on my back before I finished talking and began working on removing my grey pencil fingers worked hurriedly on his belt as we rushed to undress one another. When we were both down to nothing but our underwear, there was a knock on the door.

"Who the hell is that?" Edward whispered as he lay over me to cover me up.

"Be quiet. Maybe they'll go away," I hoped.

"Isabella, I know you're in there. You can't hide forever."

Shock ran through me at the sound of the voice calling out to me on the other side of the door.

"Who is that?" Edward asked, confused.

"Put your clothes on," I ordered and pushed him off me. I grabbed up my clothes and briskly put them back on, not caring if they were straight or not. She'd know by looking at me what we'd been up to.

"Who is it, Bella?" Edward asked in a panic, obviously becoming impatient with me.

"It's my Aunt Lidia. Shit, I thought she was still in Tuscany. Why is she here?"

"Is this bad? I thought you liked her."

"I don't know, and yes, I do like her. But this is odd timing. She never comes without calling and writing first."

Another loud knock on the door rang through the air, and I knew we were running out of time before she would barge right in. "Zip your pants," I demanded before running over to the door.

I gave Edward a quick glance to make sure he was properly dressed before throwing open the door.

"Lidia!" I exclaimed as my one and only aunt wrapped me in a tight embrace. My mother stood just behind her, beaming as if she'd just brought me the Holy Grail.

"I came to meet that man of yours. I can't believe you held this information back from me for so long," Lidia reprimanded in a thick French accent. She let me go and stared past me. "You must be Edward," she noticed, looking over my shoulder. "You missed a button, darling," she whispered in my ear and pushed passed me to get a closer look at Edward. Mom followed behind her, wagging a finger at my mischievous behavior.

My cheeks grew warm as I turned around to follow them. I finished buttoning my shirt, however, before going inside. I shut the door behind me just in time for Lidia to grab Edward up in a tight hug. He looked across the room at me, his eyes begging for help. In a manner much like Edward's, I ran my hands down my face. As much as I loved Lidia, her timing had me mystified.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you were coming," I said to her while making my way over to my boyfriend in hopes of rescuing him. Lidia let him go as I pulled him towards the couch.

"Well, I am actually just as surprised as you, darling. When Charles called me a few days ago telling me he wanted me here for Thanksgiving I was just a bit confused. You know, I don't believe he has ever personally invited me for a visit." Lidia spoke to me as if her impromptu visit was just another exciting adventure.

I smiled sweetly at her as I held tightly to Edward's hand. He seemed to relax beside me as my mom and aunt spoke kindly to him, asking him questions about this or that. I barely listened, however, as I thought back to my encounter with my father earlier that evening. He had acted guilty as he spoke of my mother's surprise in Seattle. Obviously, mom had gone to pick up Lidia at the airport. But why was he being so secretive about it? He had never had the best relationship with Lidia and usually scheduled extra shifts for himself at the department or planned long fishing trips just to avoid her.

This was different, though. He'd gone out of his way, it seemed, to get her there. Intuition told me Lidia wasn't in Forks just for a turkey dinner.


End file.
